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KELLY OF 
THE FOREIGN LEGION 




RUSSELL A. KELLY 



KELLY 

OF 
THE FOREIGN LEGION 

LETTERS OF LEGIONNAIRE 
RUSSELL A. KELLY 



TO WHICH IS ADDED AN HISTORICAL SKETCH 
OF THE FOR*EIGN LEGION 




NEW YORK 

MITCHELL KENNERLEY 

1917 



COPYRIGHT I917 BY 
MITCHELL KENNERLEY 



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4.1 1 

OCT 23 m 

PRINTED IN AMERICA 

©CU47G685 



Dedicated 
to the memory of that intrepid and valiant Frenchman, 
whose bravery, love of liberty, generosity, and friend- 
ship with Washington, made Americans, for all time, 
his grateful and devoted admirers — 

LE MAR<;iUIS DE LAFAYETTE 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

Preface xi 

I. Voyage to Bordeaux — Enlistment i 

11. Training at Depot de Lyon 13 

III. Off to the Front 33 

IV. In the First Line Trenches 52 

V. Removed to the Arras Secteur 78 

VI. Battle of Artois; At La Targette 

AND Neuville St. Vaast 85 

VII. To the Rear for Recruiting 92 

VIII. Supplementary — Battle of Artois 

— SoucHEZ — Hill No. 119 104 

IX. Epilogue 120 

X. La Legion Etrangere 131 



ILLLUSTRATIONS 

Russell A. Kelly Frontispiece 

FACING PAGE 

Official Postal Card for Use of Soldiers 34 

French Houses Burned by Germans 60 

Kniffin Yates Rockwell 68 

John Earl Fike 124 



PREFACE 

rr^HE first seven chapters of this book are 
^ letters received from Russell A. Kelly, 
age 21, volunteer in the Legion etrangere. 
The letters, many of which were published in 
the New York Evening Sun, were sent to his 
parents in New York and have been retained 
in exactly their original form except for the 
omission of strictly personal matters. 

The last communication from him was a 
military post card mailed June, 15th, 1915. 
After the severe engagement around Souchez 
on June 16th in which the Second Regiment 
de Marche of the First Regiment of the Le- 
gion suffered severely, he was officially re- 
corded by the French Minister of War as 
"missing," with the added statement that his 

name would be carried on the list of missing 

xi 



xil PREFACE 

until a search could be made in the internment 
camps of Germany. 

Exhaustive efforts have been made to locate 
him. All information that has been obtained 
as to his fate is given in Chapter IX. 

When it was learned in New York that he 
had enlisted, he was informed that Germany 
had, prior to the war, objected to the Foreign 
Legion as a military body, and had stated that 
Legionnaires who were not French citizens 
would be considered as non-combatants and 
not entitled to the rights of the other soldiers 
of the French army. 

He was accordingly advised that in the 
event of his capture to give no information as 
to his citizenship; but to communicate with 
Ambassador Gerard. He answered that he 
would follow those instructions. 

Chapter 2534 of the laws passed by Con- 
gress March 2nd, 1907, makes the taking of 
an oath of allegiance to a foreign king or state 
an act of expatriation for an American citizen. 

But as Russell did not and was not required to 



PREFACE Xlll 

take an oath of allegiance to France, he con- 
tinued, after enlistment, to be a citizen of the 
United States of America. 

Acknowledgment is made to the New York 
Evening Sun for permission to print those 
letters which appeared in that paper. 

J. E. K. 

New York, May, 1917. 



KELLY OF THE FOREIGN 
LEGION 



VOYAGE TO BORDEAUX — ENLISTMENT 

Bordeaux, France, 
36 Rue Notre Dame, 
Wednesday, Nov. 25, 1914. 

ON Election Day, Tuesday November 
3rd, 1914, we left New York, from the 
South Brooklyn basin, on "the good ship" 
Orcadian with a cargo of six hundred and fifty 
horses for the use of the French army. There 
were twenty-five men, including my chum 
Larney and myself, who had not previously 
worked on ships nor around horses, and eight 
experienced horsemen. We twenty-five con- 
sisted of twelve Englishmen, seven Italians, 

1 



2 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

two Greeks, one Spaniard, and three Amer- 
icans, the third being a negro. The first day 
the ship was out the Enghsh and Itahans 
started to fight, and this divided the party into 
two messes; at every meal thereafter there 
were hostihties. The third day out we ran into 
very rough weather, which continued during 
the following day : the vessel rolled and pitched 
in a horrible fashion, and most of us suffered 
severely from sea sickness. 

The food furnished to us was very poor. 
The first nine meals consisted of Irish stew, 
and I believe it was made on the first day and 
thereafter heated at meal time. 

We went en masse to the chief steward and 
demanded better food ; there was a change, but 
it was no better, it was only different. 

The horses were fed twice a day, the first 
time in the morning from half -past five to eight 
o'clock. We then had breakfast followed by 
hoisting feed from the hold, cleaning the stalls 
and similar duties, and then dinner. At three 
in the afternoon we gave the horses their sec- 



VOYAGE TO BORDEAUX 3 

end feeding, which took until nearly six o'clock 
when we had supper. 

In rough weather life on the boat was fierce. 
Watering the horses as the boat rolled usually 
resulted in much of the water getting on the 
men, and the deck was always wet and slip- 
pery. 

A cabin meant to hold twelve seamen held 
thirty-three cattlemen, so conditions can be 
realized. The air was foul; in fact the whole 
ship was foul. During the last week I slept 
in the lowest deck on the hay. We could not 
eat the food furnished, and even had it been 
palatable, it lacked quantity, so my appetite 
was not appeased once during the trip. I lost 
about fifteen pounds during the voyage. I 
could wash only twice and shave once during 
the trip. English warships convoyed us for 
the entire voyage, yet there was much un- 
easiness among the men. We lost eighteen 
horses en route. 

On November 19th we were in that part of 
the Atlantic called the Bay of Biscay, and en- 



4 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

tering the broad Gironde river proceeded up 
it for about thirty miles to Pauillac, off which 
we laid two days, and then went up the river 
another thirty miles to Bordeaux where we 
docked at seven in the morning of Saturday 
November 21st. It was snowing and the city 
did not seem real — it looked so quaint and 
picturesque. 

At ten o'clock we were dressed and went 
ashore and were stopped on the wharf by a 
Customs official who looked in only one valise 
and that was for tobacco and matches. The 
party then proceeded to a wine shop, where 
some bought wine, that they said was good, for 
fifteen centimes a glass. We soon learned 
that this was only three cents of American 
money. 

, We left our hand baggage at this shop and 
went to the British consul, from whom we re- 
ceived our discharge. We then returned for 
the bags and sought lodgings, which we ob- 
tained on Rue Notre Dame. 

Everything we see in the city is different 



VOYAGE TO BORDEAUX 5 

from anything my chum Larney or I have seen 
in America: the sidewalks and roadways are 
very narrow; the buildings quaint in appear- 
ance and generally only two stories in height. 

We had a good supper although the por- 
tions served were small, but, as is usual, they 
gave three kinds of meat at the meal. Coffee 
was served in a small bowl with heated milk, 
there being more milk than coffee. For des- 
sert nuts were served. The rooms were with- 
out heat, and for light a small torch was used. 

On Sunday Larney and I with the two 
Greeks from the ship, went around town, one 
of the Greeks being the only member who 
could speak French. 

Monday morning the four of us found the 
station for recruiting for the army and made 
application to join the Foreign Legion. The 
officers were agreeable but evinced no desire 
to urge us to enlist, and they informed us of 
an old rule in the Legion, that an applicant 
will not be examined or accepted until the day 
following his application. So we returned 



6 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

Tuesday morning at eight o'clock and took 
the physical examination, which was very 
thorough and the four of us were accepted. 

Twenty other men who meant to join the 
regular army were examined at the same time, 
six of whom were rejected, some solely on ac- 
count of poor teeth. 

At five o'clock in the afternoon of Tuesday, 
November 24th, 1914, we signed articles 
which made us soldiers in the Army of the 
Republic of France, in the division la JLe- 
gion etrangere, for service during the war. 

We were not asked to take any oath of al- 
legiance to France, nor to renounce our al- 
legiance to the United States; all that was 
required of us was to be over eighteen years 
of age and to pass the doctor. 

We were given five francs (one dollar) as 
spending money, and a railroad ticket to 
Lyon, where one of the depots of the Foreign 
Legion is located. It is to be our training 
station for four or five months, they say, 
before we can go to the front. No escort 



VOYAGE TO BORDEAUX 7 

was furnished or effort made to see that 
we reported at Lyon and we learned it was 
the custom even before the war to trust re- 
cruits for the Legion to reach the depot of 
their own accord. 

We had time to take a further look around 
Bordeaux. We met soldiers in large num- 
bers everywhere, and found they were of the 
same belief as the people generally — that the 
Germans would be defeated in two months. 
All theatres were closed except some moving 
picture shows, the receipts from them were 
given to the Red Cross fund. 



December 2, 1914^, 
We left Bordeaux Wednesday night at 
nine o'clock, riding second class. The cars 
are small and divided into compartments, each 
holding eight persons. Most of the passen- 
gers were soldiers returning to the front. It 
was difficult to sleep as the train stopped every 



8 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

half hour and the people getting off and on 
made considerable noise. 

Thursday was a clear day, and the bright 
sunlight enabled us to enjoy the magnificent 
scenery. The train was climbing mountains 
and going at a moderate pace. The construc- 
tion of this railroad was a great engineering 
feat. One minute we would be in a tunnel, 
then suddenly emerge onto a frail bridge over 
a magnificent valley. 

Nearly all the land in sight was under culti- 
vation, it being divided into small plots of 
about half an acre each. These plots were en- 
closed by stone walls three feet high and two 
feet thick and the walls extended as far as the 
eye could see. The people were all very 
friendly but the only one of our party who 
could talk to them was our Greek interpreter. 

From our hotel in Bordeaux we brought a 
roast chicken, bread and wine, which we ate 
at noon. The people here roast a chicken 
with its head on. We took the wine not be- 
cause we were wine drinkers, but because the 



VOYAGE TO BORDEAUX 9 

landlord put it in as a regular part of every 
lunch. 

This is a great country for churches; from 
the car window we saw many that were nearly 
as imposing as cathedrals, and some had only 
ten or fifteen cottages around them. 

We arrived at Lyon at one in the afternoon 
and went direct to the depot or station of the 
Legion. 

We were temporarily assigned to the Fifth 
company of the Premier or First regiment. 
Our barrack was a school house before the 
war. We were located in a room about 
twenty feet wide and of the same length, the 
ceiling being about ten feet high. Maps and 
cards were still on the walls, and the desks 
and benches were piled in a corner. 

When we arrived there were eight men in 
the room and newcomers continued to come 
until we had twenty-five men in the room. 
Each man was given a straw mattress, a pil- 
low and two blankets. 

We found nearly every nationality repre- 



10 KEI.LY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

sented in this Foreign Legion; there were, 
however, no Chinese nor Japanese. 

They have a system, when furnishing the 
men's outfit, that enables a man to realize 
some money. Each man is given a complete 
outfit but should he have some articles of 
clothing that could be substituted for the mili- 
tary ones he is allowed a fair price for them 
and does not get equivalent articles from the 
quartermaster. For example, I had two win- 
ter union suits and a heavy sweater for which 
I received seventeen francs (three dollars and 
thirty-five cents ) and got no underclothes from 
the army. One man received ninety francs 
(seventeen dollars and a half) that way. 

We got a complete outfit and Larney and 
I had our pictures taken. I enclose one of 
mine. 

By looking closely at the cap in the picture 
it will be seen that it has a cover on it. The 
cap is made of red cloth, but that color being 
too conspicuous a blue linen cover is worn over 
it. The coat is blue and reaches to the knees ; 



VOYAGE TO BORDEAUX 11 

it is buttoned back to allow free movement. 
The trousers are bright red, but were found to 
be such a good target at the beginning of the 
war, that a sort of blue overall is issued at the 
front to hide the red trousers. Patent leather 
puttees are generally worn, but in this photo 
I wear Douglas shoes. The regulation ones 
are very heavy; by actual count each shoe has 
one hundred and sixty-two hobs in the sole, 
which is half an inch thick. I never thought 
I would put my feet into things like them, 
much less wear them. 

A broad band will be noticed around my 
waist. This is of blue linen and is fifteen feet 
long. It is the positive insignia of our Legion, 
and is not worn by any other division of the 
French army. A broad leather belt with a 
brass buckle supports the bayonet, the hilt of 
which is visible at my left side. This is a 
murderous weapon, and I do not blame the 
Germans for being afraid of it. It is about 
a foot and nine inches long and comes to a 
needle point. It has four grooves, and each 



12 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

edge is a quarter inch deep and one-eighth 
inch wide at the hilt. It is half an inch in 
diameter at the hilt. The gun has an eight 
shell chamber and one shell in the barrel; it 
is six inches longer than the present U. S. 
army gun. With bayonet attached it is a 
formidable weapon. This is our dress uni- 
form, the one we appear in when on the street. 
The fatigue uniform has a cap or beret which 
is comfortable and handy, a short blouse, dark 
blue, no coat, the same pants and puttees. 
The blue band insignia we always wear. 



II 



TRAINING AT DEPOT DE LYON 

LyoUj 
December 12, 1914. 
T> EVEILLE sounds at half-past five in 
-^ ^ the morning ; we are then served with 
coffee, followed by drill till half-past ten when 
we have dinner, consisting of rich soup, meat, 
potatoes, etc. We get no sweets whatsoever. 
After dinner we peel potatoes, and after that 
drill till half -past four, at which time we have 
supper, there being the same bill of fare as 
dinner. We are free from five-thirty until 
nine, when we have inspection and then sleep. 
It is hard to get accustomed to the drill as the 
commands are in French, and scarcely any of 
the soldiers understand that language, even 
slightly. 

Last Sunday we walked through the city 

13 



14 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

in the company of an Englishman who came 
from Ceylon to enlist. He is a "younger 
son" and spends money lavishly when he has 
it. At present he is not in funds. 

To the east of Lyon is a range of moun- 
tains, and on one of the highest mountains is 
a church. We visited it while military service 
was being held and the edifice was crowded. 
It has the handsomest and most costly interior 
decorations of any church I have ever seen. 
It is called the Chapelle de Notre Dame de 
Fourviere. 

The view from the heights was magnificent. 
Lyon is in a valley and has two rivers running 
through it very swiftly. They say that Mt. 
Blanc, in Switzerland, can be seen from this 
church on a clear day. We saw many snow- 
capped mountains in the distance, but as the 
day was overcast we could not see the main 
attraction. 

Last Monday we were transferred to the 
2nd company of the same First Regiment 
etrangere. This is to be our permanent com- 



TRAINING AT DEPOT DE LYON 15 

pany and it is in another barracks. The day 
before we reached Lyon two Americans ar- 
rived from La Rochelle where they had en- 
hsted. One had seen service in the Philip- 
pines, in the cavahy, while the other had 
served in the navy. So we were not so lonely 
after all. 

When we reached the new barracks we 
found four more Americans, one of whom had 
been in the army, another in the navy; one 
was a doctor and the other a lawyer. The 
doctor is forty-nine years old; he came over 
at the beginning of the war to join the Red 
Cross. The ex-army man fought in the in- 
surrection in Chili, and served in Mexico under 
Villa and he works a machine gun. He has 
since left us for the front. 

These new barracks are located in a new 
school house, not quite completed. Our room 
is about ninety feet long and thirty feet wide; 
it has a row of eight windows on each side, 
and accommodates one hundred men. 

At intervals of about a week volunteers who 



16 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

desire to go to the front are called for from 
the different companies. Of course we volun- 
teered, but were refused because there is a 
severe form of typhoid in the trenches which, 
it is said, kills a man in four hours. On this 
account nobody is allowed to go until he has 
been inoculated four times; we had not been 
inoculated at all. The volunteers are put in 
a special company and drilled separately. 
Larney and I with the three other Americans 
(the doctor not included) are in this company. 

This Legion is the most cosmopolitan or- 
ganization in the world. In one corner of the 
room you will hear Greek spoken, the next 
group will be speaking Spanish, then German 
spoken by the Swiss, Polish from another cor- 
ner and English from our crowd. 

I saw a fight through interpreters. A 
Greek got into an unintelligible argument 
with a Pole and as neither could speak the 
other's language nor "parly" French, their 
fellow countrymen were called, and they be- 
ing slightly acquainted with French, that was 



TRAINING AT DEPOT DE LYON 17 

the language resorted to. When all arrange- 
ments were completed the combatants pro- 
ceeded to pommel each other, and before long 
the mterpreters were also engaged, and it was 
a very lively party when the officers arrived. 
There are many such happenings and they 
afford much amusement. 

We have had many sham battles and con- 
siderable rifle practice, I now, five weeks 
after reaching barracks, make an average of 
four hits out of eight at a target of a man, life 
size, at two hundred and fifty meters (298 
yards). They call that fair shooting for the 
time in practice. 

The manual of arms is very different from 
that of the Virginia Military Institute, but 
the training I received there comes in handy. 
I cannot understand the commands but gen- 
erally know what to expect. 

All the men in our section have the same lim- 
ited knowledge of French, but they are able 
to understand the orders. The weather is 
warm; an overcoat is only necessary at night. 



18 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

JLyon^ 
January 17, 1915, 

I miss sweets very much. Many times I 
have longed for a piece of pie, in fact for a 
whole pie, but they do not know what pie is 
over here. The pastry in the shops is wonder- 
fully light but ridiculously expensive, and our 
pay of one cent a day does not permit invest- 
ing in it. Still we have indulged several times, 
but it seemed like eating samples. I certainly 
miss the sweets. 

I also missed the Thanksgiving Day dinner ; 
we had nothing extra that day, so while eating 
mine I thought of the folks at home and the 
good things they were enjoying. But I missed 
the Christmas dinner most ; we received no ex- 
tra course here, so I contented myself with 
philosophizing, and speculating on the next 
Christmas dinner. Larney said he will have 
his in Berlin, but I prefer mine at HOME. 

We had the first fall of snow in Lyon this 
morning. It lasted about two minutes. In- 
stead of cold and snow they have a rainy 



TRAINING AT DEPOT DE LYON 19 

winter. There have not been two successive 
days without showers since I arrived in 
France. 

Trolley cars, with overhead wires, are used 
in Lyon and they are run with a trailer. There 
are many kinds; some are divided into three 
compartments, one-third of the car being de- 
voted to standing room, and the other two 
divisions being for first and second classes. I 
have seen a car pass with the second class 
packed as closely as they are in the New York 
Subway, while the first class was empty. The 
Srst class fare is double that of the second. 

The car is started by a signal from a small 
lorn, and the conductor gives a receipt as he 
collects the fare. Double deck trolleys have 
3een in use here for years. 

I tried to learn the location at the front of 
he First Regiment Strang ere, but nobody 
mows. There were six Americans here and 
wo have left for the front. We received let- 
ers from them but they were not allowed to 
Ifive their location and the envelopes had a 



20 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

number in place of the name of the post office. 
Post offices near the front are no longer 
named ; they are numbered, and not in consecu- 
tive order, for Secteur Postal 6 adjoins 109. 
Soldier's letters are sent free in France. Let- 
ters of prisoners of war are forwarded free 
(when they are forwarded) through all coun- 
tries, including the neutrals who are in the 
postal union. 

We learned that it is very cold where the 
First Regiment is and that an Italian who left 
here with the two Americans was given eight 
days in prison for eating his reserve rations. 

A shipment of volunteers from our com- 
pany left for the front three weeks ago and 
last week we were assembled and a report read 
stating that one of the men (giving his name) 
was executed, having been caught in the act of 
deserting. Considering these incidents, they 
must be near the front. 

We called at the American Consulate and 
found the Vice Consul in charge. He hadi 
served in the Philippines during the war. He 



TRAINING AT DEPOT DE LYON 21 

gave US New York newspapers and treated us 
with great kindness. While there an Ameri- 
can doctor came in, who was disgusted with 
travelling facilities. His passport had his 
photograph attached. The paper was nearly 
covered with official stamps and he came to the 
Consul to get the U. S. stamp on while there 
was still room, as every Tom, Dick and Harry, 
he said, was desirous of spoiling the paper. 
When he saw Larney and I and learned we 
were from New York he became enthusiastic 
and gave ten francs to each of us. Another 
American gentleman and his wife came to the 
barracks one evening with the Vice Consul, 
and presented each of us with a package con- 
taining pipe, cigarettes, tobacco and a neck 
ivrapper. We fully appreciated their acts, 
rhe gentleman had given his auto to the Red 
Cross and he drives it. 

I Great changes are taking place here. All 
I he Legionnaries who did not want to fight the 
l^ermans were shipped to Algiers. Another 
pall for volunteers was made to all the com- 



22 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

panics. Those who did not volunteer were 
sent to Valbonne, a town about twenty miles 
off. There are a great many men there and 
they will remain, it is reported, until spring. 

We cannot find out when we leave for the 
front, but all of us hope that it will be soon. 

On December 31st I was inoculated for the 
third time against typhoid; it was the most 
severe of the four inoculations. We were 
treated at three p. m. and two hours after I 
thought I would die. I was sick all of the 
next day; at first I was troubled by a severe 
headache, followed by chills and fever. The 
fourth and last inoculation had no effect at all. 

It may be interesting to describe how they 
inoculate. First the doctor, who is called in 
French, le medecin, asks you about the con- 
dition of your throat, chest and bowels. If 
they are O. K. he takes the flesh on the shoul- 
der blade (he used my left four times, the 
right he rarely uses, and only then toward the 
finish) between the thumb and forefinger of 
his left hand, making a ridge of the flesh. The 



TRAINING AT DEPOT DE LYON 23 

hypodermic needle is forced into the flesh and 
it felt to me as though it was pushed just under 
the skin. The fluid is then injected; it leaves 
a small lump on the blade until it begins to 
work on the system. The quantity of serum 
is gradually increased from the first treat- 
ment; I should judge the first time about a 
tablespoonful was used. Thank Heaven it is 
over. I am ready to leave at a moment's notice 
now. 

Larney likes the life. He was issued a good 
overcoat, but was made to exchange it with a 
man going to the front. He did not like the 
first overcoat but was in raptures over the 
exchange. 

When we first reached Lyon the city was 
alive with soldiers and it was surprising to 
note the great number of different uniforms 
the French army has. Of late, however, the 
diminishing number of soldiers on the streets 
is apparent. Most of the men were sent to 
Valbonne or the front. 

Everybody in Lyon seems to be working for 



24 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

the army. Contracts are given to individual 
families for uniforms and wherever you go 
women and men are seen carrying military 
clothing for the soldiers, while wagons 
loaded with army clothes are very numerous. 

All automobile works and machine shops, 
even the smallest, are busily engaged manu- 
facturing shells and the arsenals are working 
two shifts of men, one night and one day. 

It seems to me that our army is feeling a 
growing scarcity of rifles, as they are now 
issuing to recruits an old model rifle of fifty 
calibre. It is a single shot affair of 1867 
model; rather awkward and crude. I have 
seen large motor trucks returning from the 
front laden down with rifles picked up from 
the battle fields. After an overhauling the 
guns will be used again. 

I am struck very forcibly with the great 
economy of the French. We did fatigue the 
other day and it consisted of washing or rather 
scrubbing with brush and water the shoes re- 



TRAINING AT DEPOT DE LYON 25 

turned from the front. I believe the bodies 
are stripped of what can be used again. 

Wood is scarce over here ; it must cost more 
than concrete. Concrete workers are very 
expert and some finishing work I saw by them 
was remarkable. These workmen, however, 
would be useless in the States, as it takes them 
too long to construct a building. 

Everything is saved to the smallest item: 
even pig skins are saved to grease with. They 
are sold tied up in neat little rolls, and, I be- 
lieve, sold by weight. Everything is sold by 
weight, even bread, which is excellent; no 
bread in the States can equal it. 

Last Sunday while we were walking along 
the street a I renchman stopped and talked to 
us in English. He had spent seven years in 
London. He was very pleasant and treated 
us royally and escorted us back to barracks. 
He invited us to call on him. 

A party of four of us, three Americans and 
a Spaniard, a few nights ago had a night 
march, with manoeuvres to take a fort. The 



26 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

sergeant in command was a Frenchman with 
no knowledge of any language except the 
French, so he had great difficulty in explain- 
ing the tactics to us. When we returned to 
barracks we were given hot wine flavored with 
lemon; it was good. To-morrow morning we 
start at three o'clock for a long hike. They 
believe in work here. 

LtyoUy 
January 23, 1915. 

We continue drilling hard; had a twenty- 
five mile hike the other day. Started at half- 
past six in the morning and returned at six in 
the afternoon. We cooked our dinner and it 
certainly was fine. We had wine, meat, fried 
potatoes, cheese, bread and coffee. If we get 
such meals at the front we will be well satis- 
fied. 

We are having night marches frequently, 
and always get hot wine when we return. 

Our section was put on fire duty Sunday 
afternoon. At this duty we simply stack arms 



TRAINING AT DEPOT DE LYON 27 

in the court-yard and wait around. In case 
of a fire in the city we are to kep the crowd 
back. I think the main object of fire duty is 
to keep the men in barracks. 

When we arrived in Lyon I purchased an 
Enghsh-French grammar but have had very 
little time to study and the light in the bar- 
racks at night is too poor to read by. But I 
will do the best I can to learn as much French 
as possible. 

The censor does not seem to interfere with 
our mail; none of the letters I received has 
been tampered with. 

We get all newspapers, magazines and other 
printed matter, without any attempt by the 
censor to examine them. 

Our squad contains sixteen men and is di- 
vided into two rooms. In my room are two 
Americans (the Greek- American sailor is with 
me), two Italians, one German-Swiss, who is 
an excellent soldier, two Spaniards and an 
Arab. One of the Spaniards has been in 
prison twice and is now serving his third term, 



28 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

fifteen days this time. One of the Italians is 
a good soldier; the other is guilty of an un- 
pardonable sin, he snores. He wakes us every 
night ; last night the sailor threw a shoe at him ; 
when it struck him he woke with a jump, and 
was going to take the sailor's life, but his music 
(?) had so provoked us that we were only 
waiting for an excuse to rend him limb from 
limb, so he wisely got under the covers. All 
in all we have a pretty good room. 

It is comical when it comes to conversation. 
One day we talk English, the next Spanish, 
the next Italian, but we all agree Divine Wis- 
dom was absent when the Arabic language was 
constructed. When an Arab talks it sounds 
as though he was choking to death. The lan- 
guage consists of spits and coughs, and at 
regular intervals a sneeze is employed to give 
the proper accent. 

Larney is in the next room with John Smith 
(the fourth American), three Spaniards, a 
Swiss corporal, a Russian and a Greek. These 
three Spaniards are brothers and inseparable; 



TRAINING AT DEPOT DE LYON 29 

the youngest is about thirty-five years old. 
They came from Argentina, having served in 
the artillery there; they are three excellent 
men. They were sent by the French consul at 
Argentina. 

One of the Greeks who came over on the 
steamer with us and enlisted at Bordeaux, has 
been reformed to-day, January 26th, and sent 
back to Bordeaux as he has consumption. 
This news completely nonplussed me as at the 
physical examination he showed up the best of 
us. He was well muscled and looked the pic- 
ture of a trained athlete. He intends to go to 
Cape Town, South Africa, where he has a rela- 
tive. He is a good-hearted chap and I am 
sorry for him. 

Lyon, 

January 30, 1015, 

The number of Legionnaries training in 

Lyon has been steadily diminished until only 

one hundred remain. There are a great many 

Frenchmen, however, training in Lyon. At 



30 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

Valbonne, twenty miles from here, there are 
about thirty thousand troops training, among 
them several companies of the Legion. 

Nearly all the public buildings are used as 
hospitals, while the schools have been con- 
verted into barracks. 

The people are very pleasant and will go a 
great distance out of their way to set a 
stranger in the right direction. They are light 
eaters ; bread, wine and cheese are their main- 
stays. A large amount of chocolate is eaten; 
it is not as good as our milk chocolate. 

The moving picture shows in Lyon are free 
for soldiers. The people like the western cow- 
boy pieces. I saw a string of six push-carts 
with advertisements of films in which John 
Bunny appeared. 

We are paid one sou, being the equivalent 
of one cent, a day and pay-day every tenth 
day. Our dissipation on half a franc can be 
readily pictured. But we are furnished every- 
thing we need, and there are no charges here. 

Market days are Tuesdays and Fridays, and 



TRAINING AT DEPOT DE LYON 31 

on those days most of the public squares are 
thrown open to the farmers who come to town 
wHh long, narrow, two-wheeled carts, drawn 
by everything from a dog to a horse. Small 
donkeys, about three feet high, are numerous. 
One frequently sees a dog harnessed with a 
donkey; I saw an old woman teamed with a 
dog drawing a fruit cart. There are some fine 
draught horses ; the animals work tandem, and 
the driver walks. 

Four-wheeled carts are very scarce. Auto- 
trucks are used for transportation; many are 
of the large, heavy type, but have steel tires. 
Pleasure cars are numerous. The majority 
have been taken for military purposes. They 
are all built low and make considerable noise. 

I have not as yet seen many asphalt covered 
streets. Most of them are paved with stone 
blocks, while in a great number of streets cobble 
stones are used. Save in the main streets, the 
sidewalks are narrow. As a rule the streets 
are well lighted at night. A great many places 
of business have signs "English spoken," but 



32 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

we have not yet come across one store wherein 
English was spoken. The stores are open on 
Sundays. Monday is the poorest business day 
in the week. 

The children have school, if soldiers are not 
using the building, from nine to noon, and 
from two to four p. m. School is in session 
Saturdays but closed Thursdays. 



Ill 



OFF TO THE FRONT 



Lyon, 
February 5, 1915. 

AT last the order we have so anxiously- 
awaited has come; we leave early to- 
morrow morning, February 6th, for the front. 
We were given a complete outfit, which con- 
sisted of one suit of underclothes, two pairs of 
socks, a white cotton sleeping hat, two pairs 
of shoes, a neck muffler and a jacket which 
resembles a smoking jacket. These jackets 
I are all the same size, which is small, so that a 
I big fellow has a hard time getting into one. 
[There is no warmth in them, so most of the 
j fellows did not bother to pack them. I left 
nine with the underclothes in Lyon, not hav- 
ng room in the sack for them. We got blue 
Overalls to go over the red pants. We also got 

33 



34 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

a pair of mittens, but they are not much good. 

We were given a loaf of bread, one can of 
sardines, one and a half cans of fish paste, a 
chunk of cheese and some chocolate for rations. 
As a reserve ration we got two cans of bully 
beef, hard tack, salt, pepper, tea, coffee and 
sugar. 

We also got one hundred and twenty rounds 
of ammunition. We packed a blanket, and 
half of a shelter tent with poles. The complete 
pack weighed nearly seventy pounds; it was 
very heavy. 

The colonel inspected us thoroughly, and 
we passed after close scrutiny. 

The weather is mild and like summer. 



Somewhere in France, 
February 14, 1915, 
We left barracks Saturday morning, Feb- 
ruary 6th, in a pouring rain, and our train left 
Lyon at ten o'clock. 

We arrived at Noisy-le-Sec, which is on the 



Cette carte doit etre remise au vaguemestre. RIEN ne doit 
y etre ajoute, excepts la date et la signature de I'expediteur; 
les phrases inutiles peuvent etre biffees. Si quelque cbose y 
Halt ajoute, cette carte ne serait pas transmise. 



Je vais bien. 

Iblesse ) et suis en voie de guerison. 
malade ) et j espere etre bienlot retabu. 

letlrc. 
J'ai recu voire ( lelegramme. 
paquel. 

dernierement. 



Je n*ai recu aucune nouvelle de vous . 

depuis longlemps. 

Leltre suit h la premiere occasion. 




Signature (seulementjL : 



Date [sans indication d^origine) . 
UX^vd^ J^tA^^ ^4c\/y-€^ t4r-titti^\^'^^*^^i^tiCt^ ^;^^ 



OFF TO THE FRONT 35 

eastern outskirts of Paris and about two hun- 
dred miles north of Lyon, at ten o'clock Sun- 
day morning. We remained until ten o'clock 
in the evening and then proceeded to our rail- 
road destination which was about seventy 
miles to the northeast of Paris, and from there 
we had about twenty kilometres (twelve and a 
half miles ) to march to this town where we are 
now located. 

Before reaching Noisy-le-Sec we passed a 
trainload of soldiers from India. It was a 
husky outfit. 

There was a complete Company of us, about 
two hundred and fifty. When we reached here 
our Section was located in the loft of a barn. 
It was cold in our quarters as we had no stove 
and the weather was cold and rainy. 

Upon reaching this place, the reserve ra- 
tions given to us at Lyons were collected. 

We are all well, and well treated and fed. 
We have coffee three times a day; wine once. 

We were divided according to nationalities. 
Our Section contained, besides Americans, 



36 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

Belgians, Swedes, Roumanians, Italians, 
English and a pure-blooded Egyptian, who is 
very dark. 

This town is the quaintest place I have seen ; 
it has no sidewalks, and there was no idea of 
regularity when it was laid out. There are 
only about six stores, and I should judge the 
place contains about three hundred people. 
The butcher comes through here twice a week 
with his stock of trade in a wagon. The prin- 
cipal industry around here is grape growing; 
farming is a side issue. 

A short distance from the railroad station 
there is a small river very near the canal. Over 
the canal were once two bridges now both de- 
stroyed, so we marched over temporary ones. 
This was the first sign of destruction I have 
seen since I reached France. They say the 
French destroyed these bridges. 

We drill here and the Colonel manoeuvred 
us the other day ; he was well satisfied with us. 
There is a high mountain range between us 
and the firing line and from sunrise until night 



OFF TO THE FRONT 37 

we can hear the rumble of cannon; it sounds 
like distant thunder. 

The two Americans who left us in Lyon 
have spent three weeks in the trenches. We 
met them here during their rest which lasts 
eight days. They have returned to the 
trenches. The loss of life in the trenches has 
been reduced to a minimum. There is a con- 
stant rifle and cannon fire, but little damage is 
done while the men remain in the trenches. 

I miss all of my folka and often think of 
New York. I am carrying a talisman m the 
form of a Yale key which belongs to the front 
door of our apartment. I have become at- 
tached to it and would feel its loss keenly. On 
the brace supporting the teeth is the word 
"Security." A person with a lively imagina- 
tion might find some hidden meaning in this. 

Our sailor Pavelka formerly entertained us 
every night with tales of his trip on the good 
ship Dirigo from Seattle to England via Cape 
Horn. Jack London made the same voyage 
on its previous trip. It took our sailor one 



38 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

hundred and fifty-nine days to make the trip. 
After supper when stories are being ex- 
changed he usually starts with, "Now, fellows, 

when I was on the Dirigo off " He only 

gets that far now, because, like most sailors, 
he is very voluble and his tales of the sea have 
become monotonous. However, we are a very 
congenial quartette and get along well to- 
gether. 

Dad says he has a complete map of France, 
giving small villages, but we are not allowed 
to tell our location. 

Dad was always good at puzzles: does he 
remember this one? 



Boston 

Orleans 

Utopia 

Zion 

Yapank 



Does he get me? * 



We take long marches. The roads are ex- 
cellent and have a complete system of direc- 

* The name of the place indicated by this puzzle is^ 
Bouzy. 



OFF TO THE FRONT 39 

tion signs. Just after we started on one of 
these hikes I saw a sign reading "Rheims 24 
Kilometres." As a kilometre is five-eighths 
of a mile, this was the equivalent of fifteen 
miles. 

Somewhere in France (Bouzy), 

February 28, 1915. 

Things are about the same here ; the weather 
is mild and we are having less rain. Plough- 
ing is almost finished and planting will soon 
begin. From the outskirts of this place to the 
summit of the mountain (about three miles) 
the ground rises in a gentle slope which is com- 
pletely covered by vineyards. It is a great 
wine country and from the heights a wonder- 
ful view is obtained of this extensive and fertile 
valley. 

If Mr. Shortt's son is anxious to join the 
war, he can do so easily. I would advise him 
to hurry up; by that I do not mean that the 
war will soon be over ; I know absolutely noth- 
ing about that. If he is not ready to secure 



40 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

passage immediately, he can slip over on a 
horse boat, as I learn they are still importing 
horses. 

It is a matter of choice which Regiment he 
joins, the First or Second. The Second con- 
tains the most Americans and it recruits 
through Paris; my Regiment recruits through 
the southern ports. 

I would strongly advise him to lose no time, 
but sail immediately. It makes no difference 
whether he knows French or not. I have often 
told you of the great percentage here who do 
not know the language. Let him bring as 
much money as he cares to, because one can- 
not do or see much on the salary they pay here 
of one cent a day. Former military training 
is not necessary, but on the other hand if he 
has any glaring physical defects, he will not be 
accepted. I was surprised at the rigidity with 
which the examination was conducted. 

He should bring two suits of good woollen 
underclothes and about half a dozen pairs of 
thick woollen socks. If he is going to bring a 



OFF TO THE FRONT 41 

shaving set it should be as small and compact 
as possible. His comb and brush should be 
small and he should bring a small mirror. He 
should not bring many other clothes as they 
will be useless when he gets into a uniform. 
The army does not furnish a storeroom, so I 
put mine in the Municipal Pawn Shop in 
Lyon. They allow a very small loan, but it is 
conducted by the government and is used by 
many for storage of silver and other valuables. 
Would advise him to bring a tooth brush in 
some kind of a stiff cover to protect the 
bristles. 

Above all, impress him that he is not going 
to be a tourist. He carries everything on his 
back and believe me, after an entire day of 
hiking, every ounce counts. The complete 
pack with cartridges, rations, etc., weighs 
nearly seventy pounds, so there is absolutely 
no room for junk. I would advise him to 
bring some sort of a leather portfolio (not too 
big) to fit into his inside coat pocket to carry 
personal papers, etc. He need not worry 



42 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

about his outfit of clothes; the Army attends 
to that. Show him in a philosophical way that 
he had better come. He has a leave from col- 
lege, so he cannot lose anything by coming. 
On the other hand he will gain a lot of knowl- 
edge of the country, etc., and at his age it 
should almost be compulsory. I tell you 
candidly, if I was in his shoes I would get 
over here if I had to ship on a cattle boat. 
Well, here's luck to him and I hope to see him 
soon.* 

Somewhere in France (Bouzy), 

March A, 1915, 
I received the army hand-book to-day. 
These books are given to each soldier and con- 
tain an identification, list of crimes, penalties, 

* The young man referred to is Allan Shortt, son of 
Hon. William Allaire Shortt of Staten Island, New 
York. He subsequently joined the Fifty-ninth Battal- 
ion, Canadians, was attached to the machine gun sec- 
tion, and became a lieutenant. He was missing follow- 
ing an engagement December 10th, 191 6, on the front 
in France: he is now a prisoner. 



OFF TO THE FRONT 



43 



etc., and information about the bearer. In 
case anything should happen to me, I give the 
following information from the book. It will 
simplify the searching of my records. 



RUSSELL KELLY 



Ne le— 13 Juin 1893. 

a- New York. 

Canton d- " 

Departement d- New 

York. 

Residant a- Bordeaux. 

Departement d- Gironde. 
Profession d- Sans. 

Fils de- 

et de- 

Domicilies a- Sans, 
Canton d- " 

Departement d- ** 



> 
O 

l-H 

<! 

I— ( 



Signalement. 
Cheveux- Blonde. 



Yeux- 

Front- 

Nez- 

Visage- 

Poids- 



gris bleu. 

rectiligne. 

ovale. 

60 Kilos. 



Taille- 1 mtr-75 cen- 
timetres. 



Ou Engage^ Volontaire; duree guerre, le 24 n'bre 1914, 
a Bordeaux, departement de Gironde. 

Numero de la Liste Matricule-997* 



44 



KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 



Translation. 
RUSSELL KELLY. 



Born the 13 June 1893. 
at New York. 

County of 

Department of New York. 
Resident at Bordeaux. 
Department of Gironde. 
Profession of — without. 
Son of 
and of 

Dwelling at^ without. 
County of 
Department of 



O 
O 

> 
I-" 

en 

> 



Description. 
Hair Blonde 

Eyes gray-blue 

Forehead 

Nose straight 

Face oval 

Weight 1321/^ pounds 
Height 5 feet 9 inches 



Where engaged; volunteer; duration of the war, 24 No- 
vember 1914':> at Bordeaux_, department of Gironde. 

997. 



Number on recruiting list 



A small aluminum tag is given us. I wear 
mine on my left wrist fastened by the mess- 
can chain. It is inscribed as follows : 



Russell Kelly 
EV1914 



Bordeaux 
LM997 



Front side 



Reverse side 



OFF TO THE FRONT 45 

The other day the Colonel inspected us and 
grouped us according to nationalities: there 
were eighteen groups. We were lined up and 
the Colonel was giving instructions when an 
aeroplane appeared, so we promptly sought 
shelter. We all watch for an aeroplane and 
when one comes we generally are marched to 
quarters. Quite a number of 'planes are ac- 
tive but it is almost impossible to tell to which 
nation they belong. No chance is taken, how- 
ever, and we quickly get under cover. It fre- 
quently happens that the sound of the motor 
is heard before the 'plane is located. Last 
Sunday night heavy canonading was heard. 
It continued throughout the night, which was 
remarkably moonlight, and kept us awake the 
major part of the time. It must have been a 
big battle; I never heard its equal before. 

When small detachments are shipped from 
here to join their battalions in the trenches 
there is a great display of joyous feeling shown 
by the men. They yell, sing, dance and rough- 
house generally. One would imagine that 



46 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

they are going to a festival. The New York 
papers do not exaggerate when they say this 
Legion is a fighting crowd. There are just 
enough of each nationality so that one coun- 
try fights another. There has been a couple of 
scraps here to date. The chief cook for our 
section was an Italian and as he was dishing 
up poor stuff, we four got sore and told him 
he had better improve, but he did not take the 
hint. The kitchen is located very near the loft 
we sleep in, so one day when the meal was 
particularly poor we reached out of the door 
and heaved the whole business at him. It al- 
most completely demolished the kitchen. A 
plate of meat and hot rice hit him on the head 
and he jumped into the path of a bowl of soup. 
He was a sorry looking dago when the ava- 
lanche ceased. We are getting good meals 
now. The other day we were nearly paralyzed 
when he had fried potatoes for us. 

A detachment of about eighty Greeks left 
yesterday for the trenches. They were a very 
wild crowd and when they marched out of 



OFF TO THE FRONT 47 

town they carried two Greek flags and were 
singing Greek songs. They had Greek offi- 
cers. A number of the men had worked in the 
States. One was a waiter in the Hotel Knick- 
erbocker, New York, but most of them had 
worked in raih^oad gangs. 

I went to mass the other Sunday: it was 
served the same as in the States. Tlie Church 
is very old: the place for the altar is wider than 
the pew space. The main altar is set back 
from the others and it only is railed off. In 
the space I mentioned as being wider than the 
pew section are two rows of pews, one on each 
side of the main aisle. They run at right 
angles to the altar and, I take it, are reserved 
for the elite of the town, as they are finely 
made and comfortable, not to mention their 
isolation. The regular pews are very uncom- 
fortable, being straight-backed, while the 
board to kneel on is very narrow. The pews 
are placed close together which cramps one 
considerably. The organ is placed almost 
among the rafters. The acoustic properties of 



48 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

the building are poor. The structure is of 
stone, the walls being very thick. Immense 
stone columns, placed at short intervals, sup- 
port the roof. On the first column on the left 
hand side of the aisle, about twelve feet from 
the floor, a small pulpit is built and is reached 
by a circular staircase. The floor is of marble. 
Instead of tableaux, cheap pictures show the 
Stations of the Cross. Lamps and candles 
furnish the light: no provision is made for 
heat. The windows are of stained glass and 
rather artistic. There was only a scattering 
of people, mostly women in mourning. A few 
soldiers attended. 

As I have said this is the Champagne coun- 
try; vineyards exist in abundance and at the 
present time they need attention; the ground 
around each vine must be loosened. Most of 
the men are in the army, so nearly every one 
in town turns out to work. Old men, old 
women, middle-aged women, young women, 
boys and girls and even children labor in the 
yards, I have seen grey-haired women bent 



OFF TO THE FRONT 49 

almost double over the short three-foot hoe in 
use here. Everybody works, they work hard 
and with a will. From their appearance, the 
grapes will not suffer from lack of attention. 

A few nights ago just as I was on the point 
of going to sleep a soldier came rushing 
through our quarters yelling "Fire." In two 
shakes of a lamb's tail we were all downstairs, 
formed in ranks and on double time in the 
direction of the fire, and as it was only a short 
distance off, we were soon there. As is the 
local custom, the house was set back and shut 
off from the road by an eighteen-inch brick 
and stone wall covered with cement. Next to, 
and in fact part of the house was the hay shed ; 
some cavalry men were quartered here. 

When we came into the courtyard the shed 
and nearest half of the top or second floor of 
the house were in flames. Already some of 
the furniture had been carried out from the 
ground floor rooms, and taking the hint, we 
rushed through the doorway to bring out 
more. It was one of the best houses in town 



50 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

and well furnished. By this time nearly every- 
body in town had arrived, but there was no 
sign of any fire fighting apparatus, and the fire 
was quickly destroying the house. Soon there 
were many triumphant cries, and with much 
gusto the Fire Department of Bouzy burst 
upon the scene, and was greeted by the crowd 
with many acclamations of joy. The Fire De- 
partment was carried by eager hands, and see- 
ing a couple of vacant inches, I took hold. 
Everybody was yelling and giving orders, so 
the Department was carried all over the yard 
and frequently came near being deposited on 
the ground, when some one with an extra loud 
voice would tell of a more advantageous spot, 
so there the Department would go. This pro- 
cedure was kept up for about five minutes 
before the machine was placed. 

It consisted of a heavy iron tank four feet 
long, three feet wide and two feet high with 
two cylinders and a long two-handled bar for 
the man-power. Soon the hose was arranged 
and men formed for a bucket-brigade. Think 



OFF TO THE FRONT 51 

of it: a machine to which the water must be 
brought and then pumped through the hose to 

3 blaze. It was a long time before the water 
arrived and we frequently had to suspend for 
lack of water. Smith mounted to the roof of the 
building and Larney was conspicuous on an 
adjoining roof. Just as Smith reached the roof 
a stream from a nearby house started to play, 
but lacked force enough to reach the flames ; it 
landed directly on Smith and continued play- 
ing on him. In a short time he was drenched 
and the spray also wet Larney through. 

Well, to make a long story short, the build- 
ing was completely destroyed, but no damage 
was done to any nearby structure. Smith 
slept in his wet clothes and the next morning 
when he unrolled from his blanket a cloud of 
steam arose. He surely must have had an en- 
joyable evening trying to sleep. 

The helmets worn by the firemen were of 
brass and resembled the German helmet, only 
lacking the spike. They were highly polished 
and quite showy. 



IV 

IN THE FIRST LINE TRENCHES 

Somewhere in France (Bouzy), 

March 7, 1915, 
\\T^ were outfitted unexpectedly this eve- 
^ ^ ning and are busy packing and getting 
rid of excess weight so as to start early to-mor- 
row morning for the trenches. The men are 
glad at the prospect of getting into the game, 
and are making considerable noise and having 
a high old time. 

(Place Unknown), 
Wednesday, March 10, 
At half-past five o'clock last Monday morn- 
ing we were up and ready to start. We left 
Bouzy at a quarter to seven by the town clock. 
After several rests we reached a fair-sized 
town and had lunch : we were served hot coffee 

52 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 53 

here. After a spell in the trenches the men 
return to repose in this town. 

We were divided here to be placed in differ- 
ent battalions, etc., and I was glad to learn 
that we were lucky enough to be sent to a bat- 
talion which was then occupying the trenches. 
We left town together and proceeded on our 
way which led through the greatest vineyards 
I had yet seen. We paused in a barn for a 
short time and started off again. There were 
about ten of us; Smith and Larney were with 
me; Pavelka we left in Bouzy as he is sick. I 
do not know what is the matter with him, but 
it does not amount to much, whatever it is. 

We finally arrived in what was once a town. 
I say once, because as a town it ceases to exist. 
It had contained, I should say, about two or 
three hundred houses. While in New York 
I had read of the towns that were destroyed in 
the war, but the realization exceeded my most 
elaborate ideas. There was not a building in 
the entire town which had not received its 
share of destruction. We walked through 



54 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

several streets looking for somebody to direct 
us but could find no one. The place seemed 
deserted ; and what a scene of ruin. Here was 
the church with gaping holes in the roof and 
one side with four openings large enough to 
drive a team through. The other sides were 
battered and the steeple was blown off. It is 
impossible to convey any idea of the ruin 
which was everywhere seen. One row of four 
houses had the connecting walls completely 
destroyed. In the entire town there was not 
a house with its roof left, nor a pane of un- 
broken glass. 

We finally located a sentinel who showed us 
headquarters, where we were assigned to our 
companies, etc. After lunch we were to pro- 
ceed to our trench. While waiting for the re- 
past an occasional shell whistled by and ex- 
ploded a short distance beyond. Very pleas- 
ant, I assure you. We finished the meal and 
were ready. A short distance from the 
kitchen, to my great surprise, we entered the 
famous trenches. Here we were at last. I 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 55 

wish I could express my feelings when I 
realized where I was. 

It was simply the connecting trench which 
allowed the men from the line trenches to pro- 
ceed to the kitchen and get the meals. The 
Germans have a disagreeable habit of shelling 
these trenches at meal time and quite a few 
accidents have occurred in them. They are 
about five feet deep and very narrow. The 
earth is thrown up on both sides, so they are 
quite deep. They curve in a horrible fashion 
and it was not long before I was dizzy. Mean- 
while an occasional shell went merrily by. 
The trenches are so narrow that it is difficult 
for two men to pass. We continued on and 
passed the entrance to the second line : after a 
while we stopped. Where do you suppose we 
were? We were at last actually in the first 
line of trenches. 

We were taken to the lieutenant, who as- 
signed us to our squads. The first thing we 
did was to place our rifles in holes in the trench 
facing the Germans. I looked over the top 



56 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

of the trench in the direction of the enemy but 
could not distinguish much, as it was begin- 
ning to get dark. They were there, however, 
there was no question as to that for an occa- 
sional bullet whistled by. An intermittent fire 
is kept up continually by both sides. Larney 
and I were put into the 15th squad and Smith 
in the 14th. We were assigned to our quarters. 

The firing line faces the Germans in a zig- 
zag way. There is a trench running parallel 
to and back of it. They are connected by 
trenches in which are placed the living quar- 
ters of the men. There are two caves or huts 
opposite each other in an alley. Of course 
they are underground. They are about three 
and a half to four feet high and about twelve 
feet deep. There are six men in ours. When 
lying down it is impossible to stretch one's legs 
out, consequently you are pretty well cramped 
after sleeping. 

I was tired after our long march, so pre- 
pared to turn in, but found that we were to be 
on guard during the night. We turned out 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 57 

presently and I was placed with another fellow 
in a trench about twenty yards in advance of 
the main one. We were in back of steel 
shields with our rifles loaded and on the watch 
for a German. The fellow I was with was an 
Italian, so there was little conversation be- 
tween us. We were there two hours and it was 
very cold. We saw nothing alarming. Both 
sides exchanged shots occasionally. I was 
very glad to be relieved, as a cold wind was 
blowing. We went into the guard room and 
it was not long before I wished I was on post 
again. There was no fire in this cave and the 
ledge upon which we sat was about four inches 
wide. It was also cold in there. Finally we 
went out on patrol. We put the bayonets on 
our guns and laid down on the earth. I was 
in this position two and a half hours. Let me 
here state that I think I have enjoyed two and 
a half hours more at other times during my 
career. This sharp, cold wind continued, so 
after a while I was naturally chilled. There 
was no danger, however, as I estimated that 



58 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

the nearest bullet which passed us was at least 
twenty feet distant. 

Nothing happened and at last we returned. 
I was very sleepy and in due time turned in. 
After sleeping about an hour and a half I was 
awakened as the captain wished to inspect the 
new men. After the inspection I had a good 
sleep : slept most of the day and all the night. 
It is rather uncomfortable in the cramped po- 
sition but it is possible to keep warm when un- 
der the blanket. 

The meals are good, but only lukewarm, 
as they have to be carried quite a distance. 
During the next day we left the trenches and 
returned to the town to repose. We are here 
now for eight days. It is very comfortable 
here. Another American was put in our 
squad; he is from Boston; has been in France 
five years and the Legion five months; in the 
trenches three months. He is a fine fellow.* 

At present, things are very quiet. I think 

* Kenneth Weeks of New Bedford, Mass. Killed 
June l6th. 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 59 

we made quite a record; from a reserve train- 
ing station, put in the first line trenches and 
the first night there put on patrol and two days 
after that sent with the Battalion on repose. 

After this letter I will not be allowed to send 
any mail to any place for about a month. 

Well, mother, I am nearly a full fledged sol- 
dier now. You would be surprised to know 
how glad I am to be where I am. 

Somewhere in France, 

March 12, 1915, 
This is a good picture of the actual sights 
where I am now. Whole towns are like that 
shown on the other side. All well. 

Russell. 



Verzenay, 
April 9, 1915. 
On March 26th we returned to the trenches, 
and the routine was the same as before, just 
the continual rifle and artillery fire and very 



60 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

close watching of the enemy. The trenches 
are dry now and fairly comfortable. We are 
all in tip-top shape and enjoying ourselves; 
the only thing we want is some action. 

We are located in a place called Verzenay, 
which is about ten kilometres (six and a quar- 
ter miles) north of Bouzy. The first line 
trenches that we occupy are about five kilo- 
metres (three miles) north of the town. Verze- 
nay is on the side of a high hill, the trenches 
being in the valley; a grand view of the town 
is had from the trenches. 

I should judge the town has, normally, four 
to five thousand inhabitants. The Germans 
throw ten to fifteen shells into it daily, but 
they do little damage, and more than half of 
the civil population has remained here. 

We were scheduled to leave town one night 
for the third line of defence and had our packs 
made up when in came a fellow who wanted 
to see the Americans. He was an American 
from the Second Regiment etrangere, and had 
been transferred at his own request, and as 




< 

Pi 
w 
O 

pa 



CQ 

D 
O 
K 

U 

s 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 61 

the authorities are following a plan of segre- 
gation by nations, he was sent to our squad. 
I was agreeably surprised to learn that he had 
been at Virginia Military Institute; he is 
Kniffin Y. Rockwell. His arrival brought our 
number up to five. 

In due time we left and during the night 
reached our destination. They were the usual 
huts dug into the side of a slight terrace sup- 
porting the canal. They are about four feet 
high and six feet wide and long enough to ac- 
commodate a squad of fifteen men. They 
have been in use since the beginning of the war 
and fresh straw has been put into them at in- 
tervals. The old straw, however, has not been 
removed and when the men change quarters 
they leave behind them all discarded junk, so 
you can imagine the condition they are in. 
When I first arrived I tried to clean up, but 
the deeper I got into the straw the stronger 
the philosophy impressed itself on me that 
"what one doesn't know won't hurt one," so I 
put back the straw and let it go at that. 



62 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

There are a great number of rats and mice 
in the huts and the first night an energetic rat 
loosened a mass of earth above my head and it 
fell directly upon me. It gave me a great 
start as my first thoughts pictured a company 
of Germans on us. These rodents are a great 
nuisance on account of their large numbers 
and I have often wished there was a Pied 
Piper amongst us. 

There is one man in the company who does 
not share my feelings. He is an Italian who 
is used to a strange diet. Every morning 
about nine o'clock he sits down and spreads 
out his victims of the night: they generally 
number five or six. He skins these and as he 
is a friend of the cook they are roasted for him. 
There is no question of his liking for them be- 
cause we always have more than enough to eat. 
I have seen many strange things over here, but 
the cold-bloodedness of this fairly turns one's 
stomach. 

There is not any regular schedule pursued 
here, but they always manage to keep us busy. 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 63 

During the second day Pavelka joined us from 
the hospital, which made the number six. This 
fellow is very handy and volunteered to make 
us a base ball. For the centre of the ball he 
used the business end of a cartridge and on this 
wound worsted and thread alternately. For a 
cover he cut up a leather puttee and sewed it 
on the ball. The complete article was really 
very good and it rivalled Spalding's Official 
League Ball. Old A. G. would have given 
considerable for it for exhibition purposes, but 
he will never get it. Home-run Scanlan, the 
heavy hitter, drove it into the canal and we 
lost it. He also broke up the game, much to 
the chagrin of the entire company who had 
gathered around to see us play. We had fun 
while it lasted, and we intend to make another 
one when we go back to the canal. 

Aeroplanes are very numerous. There are 
so many that it became necessary to resume 
the aeroplane guard. Each section takes turns 
at this and it lasts from sunrise to sunset. 
Every time a German aircraft flies within 



64 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

range we fire at it. This occurs many times 
and considerable ammunition is used but no 
damage done. These machines warn us of 
their approach before they are located as the 
sound of the motor carries a great distance. 
Both armies shoot at the 'planes with cannon 
also. 

It is quite interesting to follow the course 
of an aeroplane. Take a German one, for in- 
stance. We may be cleaning up when the 
faint whir of a motor is heard. Work ceases 
and all eyes try to locate the machine. It 
proves to be an approaching German 'plane. 
When the probable range is computed our 
artillery opens fire. The report of the piece 
is heard and we look in the vicinity of the aero- 
plane for the result. In a couple of seconds a 
puff of smoke is seen and shortly after the 
noise of the bursting shell reaches us. It is 
almost impossible to hit it. I have seen a great 
number fired at, but as yet, with no results. 

Another thing to be remarked upon is the 
intrepidity of the aviators. They don't seem 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 65 

to pay any attention to the bombardment (if 
we may call it such) . One beautiful afternoon 
while I was in the first line, a French aero- 
plane made for the enemies' lines. The Ger- 
mans saw it coming and opened fire, using 
three pieces. The sky was cloudless, so I 
counted the puffs of smoke: they appeared all 
around the plane, but in spite of this the air- 
man continued on his mission and actually got' 
out of range behind the guns. All told there 
were sixty-eight shells thrown. For fifteen 
minutes after, it was possible to count the 
puffs. I have often wondered when the shells 
explode near an aeroplane and do not dam- 
age it, how it is that the concussion does not in 
some way injure the delicate parts of the ma- 
chine. We have not seen an aerial combat, but 
all root for one. 

On our first repose here in town we were 
treated to a bath: it was a great event. A 
soldier holds a hose with a sprinkler arrange- 
ment on the end and two others man the pump. 
First we are allowed a little water to get up a 



66 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

lather, then the master of ceremonies at the 
hose bellows a command and the boys at the 
pump bend to their work with a will, with the 
result that there is a free-for-all fight to get 
into the spray. It is rather a crude method, 
but as the water is hot we are very thankful 
for it. I had my second yesterday and we 
hope to bathe daily at the canal. 

This canal reminds me greatly of the old 
Erie, save for the locks. Changing levels is 
accomplished by one single lock as against the 
single and double locks used on the Erie. 
Canal boat fleets are unknown in this country: 
the boats travel singly and are towed by horses. 
Considering the depth and width of the canal 
and the general appearance of the banks, one 
can almost imagine he is travelling through 
New York state on the old waterway. The 
type of boat used is practically the same as 
ours, save that over here they are somewhat 
larger and with a more pointed bow. 

The other night Weeks took us out to din- 
ner: the meal was served in the home of one 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 67 

of the native vineyard workers. We all filed 
into the kitchen of the house. This room was 
located on the ground floor and had a window 
opening onto the street. It served also as the 
pantry, dining room, and was also used for 
minor purposes. It was about ten by twelve 
feet. A common kitchen table occupied the 
centre of the room under a hanging oil lamp. 
There were eight chairs (the majority rick- 
ety) scattered around, and the deep window 
sill would accommodate three persons. Into 
the corner opposite the main door was fitted a 
triangular closet which accommodated odds 
and ends; the wine supply was kept here. 
Curtains decorated the window; the floor was< 
bare. They used a good range. 

Weeks was acquainted with the family as 
he had dined here throughout the winter when 
on repose. They also did his and other sol- 
diers' washing and the clothes were hung in 
this room on lines from the walls to dry; con- 
sequently one was uncomfortable until seated. 
|A.fter a while our host gave his order and the 



68 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

woman went to purchase the food. Mean- 
while children of the family were constantly 
coming and going. After the sixth had made 
his appearance I grew confused and decided 
not to try to keep track of them. They cer- 
tainly were numerous, and starting from four 
feet six they descended in regular intervals of 
six inches down to the young baby, making a 
natural stairway for Father Time. 

The food came at last; it was a chicken and 
some incidentals. The next thing was to pre- 
pare the chicken for the pot. The good house- 
wife searched high and low for a knife, and 
failing to locate one borrowed Smith's famous 
weapon (he paid six sous for it in Lyon at a 
bazaar). Ah! I forgot. She singed the fowl 
first over the table around which we were 
seated. This was accomplished by means of 
burning newspapers, the ashes of which fell 
into the wine. We did not mind this, only the 
smell of burning hair was rather disagreeable. 
I had recovered from this, when, picture my 
chagrin, the good lady started to butcher the 




o 
o 
Pi 

< 






FIRST LINE TRENCHES 69 

bird right under our noses and placidly 
strewed the table with the chicken's guts. I 
think grape picking trains the hands to quick, 
vigorous action ; anyhow, the way those giblets 
and other parts of the chicken's anatomy were 
flying around caused us to dodge continually, 
and with great foresight I placed my hand 
over the glass to protect the wine. 

The lady was not an expert butcher; when 
she could not locate a joint the members were 
torn apart by main strength. As for the flesh, 
it was actually ripped off in shreds and the 
whole business thrown into a pot. Smith's 
heart was almost broken as the blade of his 
knife was bent all out of shape : it was ruined. 
The meal consisted of rice, soup, fried chicken 
and bread, with coffee at the end. It was very 
tasty, indeed. What struck me forcibly was 
the way the children ate. They came in just 
long enough to swallow a few mouthfuls. 
Through carelessness I think the young folks 
are not receiving the proper amount of 
nourishment. Anyway the children of France 



70 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

do not shape up as being sturdy. We all en- 
joyed the novel incident greatly. 

We eventually got to the first line again and 
occupied the same hut as on our previous stay. 
There were seven of us in there, six Ameri- 
cans and the corporal. It was not wide enough 
to lie cross ways, so we slept at an angle. It 
reminded me of the story of the six men in one 
bed; when a man became tired lying on one 
side and gave the signal to turn, all turned at 
once and if any one failed to hear the signal it 
broke up the party. This was the case here; 
we were cramped to an uncomfortable degree. 
The first night we were disturbed by a great 
racket. It proved to be Smith forcing Larney 
back into his proper location. It might be well 
to remark here that Larney is a considerable 
sleeper. He talks almost nightly and would 
you believe me, back in Bouzy he actually sang 
one verse of "My Country, 'Tis of Thee." It 
was in a far away, hollow voice, but he carried 
the tune fairly well. Some nights we grow 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 71 

alarmed over his welfare; he groans and 
mumbles so. 

At the first line we are on guard every other 
night, and as the weather was cold it was not 
very enjoyable. One night I was on guard 
from one a. m. to three a. m. with Larney. We 
were in a trench running at right angles from 
the main one and about twenty feet from it. 
It is so arranged that the earth is on a level 
with our eyes. You would be surprised to 
know how hard it is to keep awake. Even as 
near the enemy as we are, an almost uncon- 
querable desire to sleep overcomes us. It must 
be that the constant searching and the strain- 
ing of the eyes into the darknes hypnotizes 
one, but be this as it may, it required a great 
effort to keep awake. We all complain of 
this. 

On the night I speak about, I was struggling 
to keep awake when all of a sudden my heart 
almost stopped beating. I was thoroughly 
wide awake instantly : I could have sworn that 
there were two figures directly in front of me 



72 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

about one hundred and fifty feet away. One 
seemed to be standing and the other kneehng, 
and as we maintain a trench running parallel 
to the main one and about one hundred and 
fifty feet beyond, my mind pictured all kinds 
of things. I watched them intently and they 
seemed to be working at something, but in the 
uncertain light it was maddening. The large 
figure appeared to be motionless but the small 
one seemed to rise and bend like a man at a 
pump. This continued for what seemed ages. 
I am well aware that at night objects take 
strange forms, but I could not account for 
these. Our rifles are constantly loaded and 
cocked while on guard and I was tempted to 
take a shot at it, but I wanted to see them 
actually move before I fired. I looked over 
and saw Larney observing the same thing. 

We talked it over and decided that it was 
part of the landscape; the next morning we 
went into the trench and came to the conclu- 
sion that it was two trees. 

Another time while on guard in the second 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 73 

line position, I was looking out of a small port 
hole in the trench. I had just come to the 
conclusion that guard duty was a waste of 
time when I saw what looked to he a figure 
crawling slowly under the barbed wires in 
front of the trench. 

It was a wretched night, raining and very 
dark. I could have sworn that this was really 
a man. I almost pictured him freeing himself 
from the barbs. I thought a better view would 
be gained from over the trench, so I noise- 
lessly climbed up until my head was clear of 
the earth, but it was impossible to see when my 
eyes were above the surface of the earth, so 
I got back again. 

The object was still in the same position. 
Would you believe I actually kept my eyes 
glued on the thing for nearly two hours. A 
number of lights were sent up by both sides, 
but their positions were such they did not help 
me. Finally, a German white light went up 
in a direct line with my eyes and the object. 
What do you think my creeping German was ? 



74 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

Nothing but a frame to roll wire on. I cer- 
tainly was disgusted when I made this discov- 
ery. 

One cannot help imagining things. Every- 
thing keys the imagination up ; the steady rifle 
fire, the occasional cannon, the bursting mines, 
the flare of the night lights and distant bom- 
bardments all tend to put one in a condition 
to see anything. 

It is interesting to observe the difference of 
speed between sight and sound. For instance, 
a cannon far in our rear will discharge a shell ; 
the flash is visible from the piece, the whir of 
the shell as it passes is heard, and the flash as 
it bursts is seen, then both reports sound al- 
most simultaneous, the discharge of the gun 
and bursting of the shell. This, of course, 
only happens when one's position is almost in 
the middle of the trajectory. 

Another idea of mine which was shattered 
by actual experience was the action of a burst- 
ing shell. From war pictures I drew the in- 
ference that at the moment a shell bursts it 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 75 

was possible to see the fragments ; not so. The 
report of the piece is heard, then the whistle 
of the shell, a puff of smoke is seen and finally 
a loud report. That's all, but believe me there 
is a great deal of power in a shell. 

In the second line the quarters were fair. 
Wide enough for us to stretch out and about 
five feet high. Each one accommodates a sec- 
tion. The condition of the straw was the same 
as described before. One night it began to 
rain and in about half an hour the rain soaked 
through the earth and dripped on us. We 
hung our shelter-halves up under the roof to 
catch the water. These covers performed their 
duty O. K., but the water leaked in all around 
them. The first night was not so bad, although 
the place was wet in spots. It rained during 
the second day and things became worse: the 
trenches were in an awful condition, the water 
being ankle deep in places and the mud beat- 
ing Cedarhurst's best to a fare-you-well. 

That night, however, was the worst of all. 
The rain was dripping through pretty steadily 



76 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

and it had begun to get the best of the tent 
covers in spite of the fact that we emptied 
them regularly. We eventually turned in and 
as an almost steady stream was dropping on 
my head I put my overcoat over it and grap- 
pled with Morpheus. I had him flat on his 
back and was about to rise to the cries of the 
spectators when my subconscious mind differ- 
entiated between the voice of applause and the 
wail of dismay. Instantly I was awake and 
poked my head out to see what the fuss was 
about, but the steady stream forced my cra- 
nium under the coat again. 

Out of the confusion I gleamed that a tent 
cover had fallen with the weight of the water 
and drenched a Greek, two fellows down from 
me. He was very active vocally: I'll bet he 
cursed a few. We were all very uncomfort- 
able. I was telling myself how good it was to 
be dry when I realized that I was not as dry 
as I might be. From my shoulders to my 
feet I was awash in three inches of water. It 
surely did feel fierce, but it was impossible to 



FIRST LINE TRENCHES 77 

better the condition as everything was wet. 
It was only two a. m. and I prayed for day- 
light. We managed to dry out pretty well 
during the day. 

I wish we had some of those new patented 
trench digging machines the World's Advance 
tells about, because I have dug about one thou- 
sand miles of trenches, or nearly that many. 
We are constantly digging new and repairing 
old trenches, so now we have an elaborate sys- 
tem of underground streets. 

I certainly do feel fine and enjoy the life, 
but there is no question about it, war is an 
asinine thing. 



y 



REMOVED TO THE ARRAS SECTEUR 

(Place Unknown), 

May 6, 1915, 
TT^OR many days we knew something was in 
-^ the wind, but what or when it would hap- 
pen was a puzzle to all. Some said we were 
going back to Lyon for a repose, while others 
maintained we were bound for the Dardanelles. 
Finally we got orders to pack all our stuff 
and be ready to move during the night. About 
midnight, April 24th, a French regiment re- 
lieved us and we marched out of Verzenay. It 
was a very disagreeable night, and coupled 
with a chilly, penetrating fog and the rather 
forced march, we were more or less fatigued 
when we reached a small town at about five 
o'clock the next morning: our escouade 
(squad), the 15th, was assigned to a sort of 

78 



THE ARRAS SECTEUR 79 

COW shed. The ground was as hard as a rock 
and as cold. We turned in, but tired as we 
were, it was impossible to get much sleep, al- 
though we tried to sleep during the day. At 
five in the afternoon we went up town to see 
what the place was like; it was a small place 
with about six stores and overcrowded with 
soldiers. 

When we got back I started to read periodi- 
cals received from New York. Outside there 
was a small yard with a squad kitchen on one 
side and our quarters on the other. I'll stop 
here a second to say a word about the men in 
our squad. 

The corporal could be most anything but 
I think he is Arab-French ; he is a quiet fellow 
and O. K. There are four Legionnaires with 
us; one of them has served fifteen years with 
the Legion and another about ten. These two 
are naturalized Frenchmen and fast friends. 
The old-timer has a huge beard and is a very 
quaint character. I enjoy watching him; he 
reminds me so much of those gnomes who used 



80 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

to interest me when I was small. The other 
fellow is short and very brown. The way they 
confide in each other is really ludicrous. When 
one has an imaginary illness he takes the other 
aside and they get their heads together and 
sympathize with each other; it is laughable. 
As they share their sorrows they also share 
their joys. You buy their kind of joy by the 
canteen full, and believe me they are a joyous 
pair. The old fellow has been joyous for about 
fifteen years. 

The other two Legionnaires are Belgians 
and unimportant. Then we have two Italians 
who remind me of brigands. One is a big 
husky fellow and the other is a typical dra- 
matic villain; good looking, dashing and all 
that stuff. We have an Italian kid with us, 
but he is only a nuisance. The two brigands 
take an interest in him to the extent of con- 
tinually kicking and cuffing him around. 
Well, as I was reading the magazine I heard 
a noise in the yard and upon going out found 
the six-foot corporal slugging the five-foot five 



THE AERAS SECTEUR 81 

Legionnaire. I was glad to see it because the 
little fellow needs a beating. He talks too 
much. Weeks was out there and did not like 
the unevenness of the fight so he interfered. 
The big brigand then came up and hit the 
little Legionnaire a "beaut," knocking him 
across the yard. The little fellow got up just 
in time to be knocked back across the yard, and 
the big fellow was going to repeat the perform- 
ance when Weeks interfered again. 

By this time we were all out in the yard en- 
joying the fun. The argument got pretty hot 
and finally, as usual, the peacemaker got a 
wallop in the jaw. The American section 
acted as if they were all hit, and in fact they 
were when one of them was hit. In a fraction 
of a second it was the biggest free-for-all I 
was ever in or hope to be in. We battled 
around the yard to a fare-you-well and in no 
time the guard was on the scene with fixed 
bayonets, but we still kept on. 

In a lull in the action I happened to look 
around in time to see the villainous looking 



82 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

bandit picking up a brick. I made a bee-line 
for him and in no time had received a good 
clout on my bean for my trouble. The guards 
eventually separated us, but the Americans 
carried the day. They started to take me to 
the lock-up but I landed at the infirmary and 
had my head bandaged. They locked Pavelka 
up, but he should have come with me, as a 
friend of the bandits hit him on the forehead 
with a dish pan. He needed bandaging and 
soon was sent back for treatment. We all 
shook hands and called it square. 

The next day we marched to the railroad 
and came north. It was a wretched trip as we 
were packed closely in freight cars and it took 
twenty-four hours to come two hundred kilo- 
metres, being about one hundred and twenty- 
five miles. We left the cars at a town called 
Aubigny, which is about six miles due west of 
the village of La Targette, but we located in 
a town nearer the front. At night we marched 
to the trenches and worked there. It was very 
dangerous; the outposts being about fifty 



THE ARRAS SECTEUR 83 

yards apart. One night the second fellow 
from me was hit in the stomach. It is good 
to work under such conditions, as work takes 
the mind from the bullets ; inaction under fire 
is a terrible strain on the nerves. 

We were in the trenches three days, worked 
all day and at night we went out on the field 
and laid down four hours at a stretch, to guard 
against a surprise. To make matters worse it 
rained and the mud was a foot deep in places. 
We went back to a small town, arriving there 
at ten a. m. 

We have everything in abundance. I have 
seen fellows throw shirts and other articles 
away, rather than wash them, as new ones are 
always given. There is actually more than 
enough of everything. We are living like 
princes. 

I was glad to hear that my letter from 
Bouzy was received. Allowance must be made 
for the writing as it was done on a two-by- 
four-foot plank, which I straddled, my feet 
dangling. We Americans were all interested 



84« KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

in the statement in the letter to me, that it has 
been said the Germans would treat Foreign 
Legionnaires who were not citizens of France 
as irregular soldiers ; and the suggestions made 
for us to observe in case of capture will be 
followed. 



VI 



BATTLE OF ARTOIS; AT LA TARGETTE AND 
NEUVILLE ST. VAAST 

Somewhere near Auhigny, 

May 16, 1915, 
/^~\N Sunday morning, May 9th, we were 
^^ routed out at one o'clock and marched 
to the trenches, reaching the third line at sun- 
rise, and at five o'clock our artillery increased 
its already very severe bombardment, — the 
continual rumble and vibration being beyond 
description. This lasted until ten o'clock and 
as soon as it stopped, Battalion C in our sec- 
tion left the trenches, charging with the bayo- 
net. 

They carried the trenches with great loss. 
I understand the Germans were panic stricken 
by the bombardment and one of their bat- 

85 



86 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

talions was buried as the trenches collapsed 
under our heavy artillery fire. 

Battalion A followed C and lost a great 
many; there are two Americans in A, one 
of them is O. K. while the other was shot 
twice, in the shoulder and in the leg. 

Our Battalion B left the trenches right 
after A under a heavy rifle and machine gun 
fire, the ground we crossed being well strewn 
with dead and dying of Battalions C and A. 
We charged across fields in a line of skirm- 
ishes, and I will never be able to satisfy my- 
self how so many of us got through safely. 

When we reached the first line of German 
trenches we found them battered and destroyed 
by our bombardment. Soon after crossing 
them our first stop was in the shelter of a road. 
Here the good looking bandit, the fellow who 
hit me with the brick, got reckless and tried to 
survey the landscape; he was killed instantly 
by a bullet through the heart. No convulsive 
tossing of the arms one reads about or sees in 
the movies — he just sank down and it was all 



BATTLE OF ARTOIS 87 

over. Soon after we left this position, the 
other bandit was shot through the leg. There 
was absolutely no ill feeling between us on ac- 
count of our scrap. 

We then laid down on the ground and soon 
the Germans got our range; six men close to 
me were hit; so we started on again. 

The German artillery had opened on as, 
and the suspense of lying there and waiting 
to be hit is indescribable. The shells were 
bursting all around me and one rushed by so 
close that I actually think a chunk of solidified 
air hit me on the forehead ; anyway, something 
bruised my forehead. I rushed over and got 
into the hole, it was five feet deep. I hap- 
pened to be looking where four men were 
lying, when a shell blew the four of them to 
dust. 

In my letter from Lyon I mentioned three 
brothers from Argentina; they were insepar- 
able even in death; they were killed side by 
side. 



88 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

We finally took the crest of a hill, it was 
dusk and we dug ourselves in. 

I shall never forget the picture displayed as 
I looked back across the field in the fading 
light. It is a nightmare: during the entire 
night the cries of the wounded rang out. I 
had a pleasant bedfellow, — a corporal and he 
lay in the trench, only two feet away. He 
actually fascinated me. I could not help look- 
mg at his brains which stuck out of the back 
of his neck, exactly like two horns. During 
the next day they gradually melted until at 
nightfall they had slid entirely off his neck. 
Grand, grand indeed, is this butchery they call 
war! 

During the night we were on the watch, and 
at times the fire from the enemy, aided by the 
German night-lights, was severe. 

As day broke Monday we were ready for 
the counter attack, which was sure to come and 
it came early and fierce. Their artillery 
shelled us in a most desperate manner, and 
men were killed and wounded in large num- 



BATTLE OF ARTOIS 89 

bers and very close to me; and again the sus- 
pense of expecting to be hit by a shell was 
horrible. 

Bavarian troops were opposite and they 
made a rush for us, and I am bound to ac- 
knowledge that no human beings could have 
shown more bravery and determination than 
they did: but our artillery was most effective, 
and we stood firm in our trenches and smeared 
them. Their counter attacks all failed and 
that night we still held the trenches we had 
dug. 

We were entirely out of water both Sun- 
day and Monday, and as a consequence suf- 
fered very much. 

Early the next morning, before daybreak, 
reserves took our places and what was left of 
our regiment returned to the rear for reor- 
ganization. 

I laugh when I try to think of civilization. 
But with all we must admit it is a great world 
and I do not regret that I am here. 



90 KELLY or THE FOREIGN LEGION 

Somewhere near Auhigny, 

May 20, 1915, 

A sergeant was commanding our Company, 
all the officers having been killed or wounded. 
Our captain was a very game man; he led us 
without a sword or any side arms, only using 
his swagger stick. He was killed by a shell. 

We advanced by sections. When the or- 
der came we jumped up, and carrying a sack 
as a shield, ran about one hundred feet, — and 
talk about Ty Cobb sliding into second base, 
it isn't a circumstance to the way I hit the 
ground. And what a strain it was on the 
nerves waiting for our turn to advance again, 
fellows all around being hit. In a couple of 
cases I have seen men almost lifted from the 
ground, so hard were they struck. One fel- 
low very near me was hit and began to squeal, 
almost immediately a second bullet hit him and 
he made for the rear on all fours crying like 
a child. The field was full of such sights. 

But compared to the shells the bullets are 
nothing: give me most anything but an ar- 



BATTLE OF ARTOIS 91 

tillery bombardment. I cannot figure out 
how the five of us missed being hit. 

The prisoners we took were well fed and 
clothed, but are sick of the war. 

After the attack we were quartered in Mont 
St. Eloi, about two miles west of La Targette, 
but as it was in range and the Germans shelled 
us, we were sent ten miles to the rear to await 
recruits. 

Our regiment lost heavily in killed and 
wounded, not half coming back. The little 
Italian kid I previously mentioned was too 
frightened to leave our trenches. 

The six Americans of our squad, Larney, 
Rockwell, Pavelka, Smith, Weeks and myself 
passed through safely, except Rockwell who 
was shot in the leg. We learned he was cared 
for by our field ambulance. 



VII 

TO THE REAR FOR RECRUITING 

(Place Unknown), 

June 10, 1015, 

QJOON after we were located at the rear to 

^^ await recruits the General commanding 

our Division reviewed us and distributed five 

military medals. 

We have a new Captain in the place of the 

one who was killed; he is a Swede and is very 

military; he has us drilling a great deal, and 

works us pretty hard, considering that we have 

smelt powder in the true sense of the term. 

We have just learned that Italy has en- 
tered the war; also, that an American mer- 
chant-man has been torpedoed. We would 
like to see the United States keep out of the 
war if it can. 

On May 29th we returned to a location near 

92 



TO THE REAR 93 

the front, and lately many German prisoners 
have passed us. One day as many as eight 
hundred went by; they looked well. By a 
strange coincidence the same Bavarian troops 
who faced us in Champagne are against us 
here, and yesterday we recognized a man in 
their ranks who deserted from us in Cham- 
pagne. I guess it is all over with him; it 
should be. 

It seems that our effort of May 9th was 
more successful than that of the British. The 
German prisoners say they cannot stand our 
artillery fire. I don't blame them, as the 
French 75 centimeter field piece has proved to 
be the wonder of the war. 

We are all well; in fact I never felt better 
in my life. 

I have just received the packages from 
New York and am thankful for them. Socks 
are very desirable as we are on our feet a great 
part of the time and I can rest easy now that 
I am well stocked with them. The soup cubes 
were fine: we make soup every night before 



94 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

turning in. One of the tooth brushes was bro- 
ken in transit but the other comes in handy as 
the one I brought from home is about used up. 
I am keeping the combs, but do not use them, 
as during the hot weather our hair is cut very 
close with the machine. Some fellows have 
their heads shaved, but I think that is going 
too far. This idea of having the hair cut short 
is a good one as it is very warm here now. 

We spent four days in the trenches to the 
left of the ones the Legion occupied prior to 
the attack of May 9th. Skipper Pavelka and 
I went all through the devastated German 
trenches. I could find scarcely anything as 
we were there nearly three weeks after the at- 
tack and countless French soldiers had searched 
before us. I found some envelopes and wrap- 
pers for parcel post packages with the German 
postage stamps attached, and I send these to 
you; it will be seen the letters bear Bavarian 
postage stamps, and are directed to Bavarian 
infantry soldiers. 

The German trenches were built much bet- 



TO THE REAR 95 

ter than ours. Some of the huts in which the 
men lived were twenty feet under ground. 
They used a great number of dirt sacks : there 
must be a shortage of strong material in Ger- 
many, as these sacks were made mostly from 
cheap, light calico which was hardly strong 
enough to hold the earth. 

They had an extensive system of mines and 
we made the attack just in time as Pavelka and 
I investigated the saps with the aid of a candle. 
They were all loaded and wired ready to be set 
off. One of them had been exploded. The 
Germans lost their bearings in digging, be- 
cause the hole was actually nearer their own 
lines than it was to ours. They used a tre- 
mendous charge and the explosion must have 
been terrific for the result reminded me of the 
crater of a volcano; it was easily thirty feet 
deep. 

Our bombardment before the attack of May 
9th had played havoc with the German 
trenches; a great number of the roofs on the 
huts had fallen during the cannonading bury- 



96 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

ing alive all the occupants. Around these 
places the stench was horrible. All through 
these trenches was evidence of heavy losses on 
the part of the Germans; at intervals, arms 
and legs projected from the walls and floor of 
the trenches, and all in all it was a pretty 
gruesome journey. 

As a result of May 9th our line is advanced 
over two miles, but the Germans hold a danger- 
ous position on the side of a large hill and it 
will be hard work chasing them off. 

We have been out to dig trenches a couple 
of times and believe me we sure do work. Im- 
agine getting up and working on the ground 
about two hundred and fifty yards from the 
German line with them shooting all the time. 
Work! you bet the men work with a will and 
it does not take long to get a good trench dug. 
They have a poor system here. We walk 
about seven miles from this town where we are 
now to the first line, dig a trench and walk 
back. We leave at six p. m. and get back at 



TO THE REAR 97 

five a. m. — the idea of walking seven miles to 
work. 

There is not much left of the Legion of May 
9th ; the Italians have been liberated to return 
to their own army. Our company had fifty- 
five men out of a full company of two hundred 
and fifty, but we expect to be filled up again 
with the men from Valbonne and Lyon. I 
should judge one thousand have already been 
sent up here from those places. 

Well, this war is a great game. The next 
person who mentions the glories of war should 
be jumped on with both feet. Picture the 
charge with the band playing and the men 
singing — what tommy-rot. In the first place 
the instruments never get near the actual 
fighting, and in the second place the men at 
that time don't care a hang for a song. 

We have some fun with the boxing gloves, a 
new set having been sent to us from Paris. It 
is surprising to know how many good boxers 
there are around here. The other day two 
Zouaves who weighed about one hundred and 



98 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

eighty pounds each turned up and were very 
clever. One had boxed for the amateur 
championship of Tunis. They would give 
many professional fighters a run for the 
money. Two French cavalrymen had a bout 
that resulted in a knockout. 

Time surely does fly: here it is nearly eight 
months since the old Goddess of Liberty dis- 
appeared into the distance in New York bay. 
It does not seem possible. 

The ball that hit Rockwell's leg just missed 
the bone, so he is recovering rapidly and hopes 
to be back with us soon. 

We are all in the best of health and getting 
plenty to eat. We are unanimous in wishing 
for the war to end soon. Those who clamor 
for war the most in the States are those who 
know nothing about it. War is an asinine 
waste and I take my hat off to President Wil- 
son for his level headedness.* 

* The above was the last letter received ; the com- 
munication on the following page was written on a mili- 
tary postal card. 



TO THE REAR 99 

(Place Unknown) 
June 15, 1915. 



Dear Dad: 



All well. Received your letter of May 
30, 1915. We were there all right. Will 
write later. Love to all. 

Russell. 



The First Regiment was cited in the official 
Order of the Day, as follows : 

"The First Foreign Regiment of the 
Second regiment de Marclie, ordered May 
9th under the command of Lieutenant Col- 
onel Cot to make a bayonet charge on a 
strong German position, went into the at- 
tack, the officers leading in front of the 
men, with a superb gallantry, gaining, with 
only brief stops, several kilometres of 
ground, in spite of an extremely strong re- 
sistance of the enemy and a violent fire from 
his machine guns." 



100 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

Le Figaro of Paris, May 13th, 1915, con- 
tains an article from which the following trans- 
lation is an extract, under the heading, "Nos 
succes du 9 mai dans le secteur, Carency — 
Neuville." 

"The attack on La Targette, led by a di- 
vision of the army corps from the neighbor- 
hood, mentioned in the army order, was con- 
ducted with a remarkable boldness and was 
a complete success. 

"The artillery had, by its fire, demolished 
a large part of the barb-wire and other ac- 
cessories of the defence. A certain num- 
ber of mitrailleuses had escaped destruction, 
and the enemy continued to hold them. 

"At the first assault our infantry reached 
the border of the woods, but it was stopped 
there by fire on the flank. The infantry re- 
sumed the attack irmnediately and took a 
part of the trenches at ten o'clock; which it 
held, and at a quarter past eleven took all of 
La Targette and three hundred and fifty 
prisoners, many pieces of seventy-seven and 
a large number of mitrailleuses. 

"Holding La Targette, they were mas- 



TO THE REAR 101 

ters of the cross-roads of Arras-Bethune and 
Mont Saint-Eloi-Neuville. 

"They reformed rapidly, thanks to the he- 
roic work of the engineer corps, and ad- 
vanced upon Neuville. 

"This village presents itself in the form 
of a point. It was, as an officer expressed 
it, 'a real bundle of mitrailleuses and of 
lancebombs.' The assault was, however, 
made and about three o'clock we attacked 
the church. 

"From each loopholed house, from each 
cellar organized into a covered trench, the 
enemy fired on our men. They conquered, 
however, house by house, half of the village, 
and in spite of all counter-attacks we held 
the captured ground. It was a tremendous 
struggle amidst the wreckage and smoke. 

"Every minute augmented the number of 
prisoners. We saw them rush out from 
their hiding places, reckless of safety, stupe- 
fied by our bombardment, dumbfounded by 
our dash, and in a moment, towards the 
other side of the village some columns were 
detached, and our cavalry conducted the 



102 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

prisoners towards the rear, to the great joy 
of the population. 

"Behold the road of Bethune: a new at- 
tack. The battalions in the lead scaled the 
slope at the east and behind them, the others 
arriving, killed and despatched all whom 
they encountered. 

"Our officers fell in great numbers. Of 
four chiefs of battalions there was not more 
than one left. One of the colonels is se- 
riously wounded. The general of the bri- 
gade who led in advance of his troops, had 
his chest pierced by a ball. 

"It made no difference, they went on with 
redoubled ardor. The men came at a gym- 
nastic pace, leaped over the trenches, at- 
tacked the crest and the very crown of the 
crest. 

"The courier started, reached the tele- 
phonic post and sent in an account. One 
can hardly believe it. It was done; more 
than four kilometres gained (two and a half 
miles ) . 

"Never before in this war of a siege which 
has lasted for seven months, has a like suc- 
cess been obtained either by the Germans or 



TO THE REAR 103 

by US. A German colonel was taken pris- 
oner at his post of command. Behind our 
victorious battalions, our forces gathered up 
and unearthed from their burrows hundreds 
of Germans. We destroyed or captured, 
substantially, a whole brigade." 



VIII 



SUPPLEMENTARY 



Battle of Artois — Souchez — Hill No. 119, 

IVJO communication has been received from 
-^ ^ Russell Kelly since his postal card of 
June 15th, mentioned in the foregoing chapter. 
He took part with his regiment in the battle 
on the following day, and since then has been 
missing, and his name is still carried on the 
French War Office Official list of missing. As 
the reader may be interested in the subsequent 
occurrences, the following facts are given. 

The battle of Waterloo occurred on June 
18, 1815, and as its centenary approached the 
public expected an unusual effort would be 
made in commemoration of that momentous 
event. 

Whether or not the warring powers gave 

104 



SUPPLEMENTARY 105 

any heed to this circumstance, is not known, 
but preparations were made by the Allies be- 
fore that date, on a most extensive scale, for 
a formidable effort to break through the Ger- 
man lines in France. 

On June 15th the soldiers of the Legion 
were each given one hundred extra rounds of 
ammunition; these they carried in their meu- 
settes or haversacks; their belts contained the 
regular allowance of two hundred and fifty 
rounds. New underclothing and shirts were 
furnished to the troops that day, so that those 
who might be wounded would be less liable 
to contract the dreaded tetanus. A special 
mass was celebrated that day and the Catholic 
soldiers attended to their religious duties. 
JNIany of the soldiers made provision for the 
event of disaster. John Smith left an enve- 
lope with instructions that it be opened if he 
did not return from the attack. When it was 
opened it was found to contain a statement that 
his real name was John Earl Fike, and it gave 
his mother's name and address, with a request 



106 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

that she be notified of his fate. Lawrence 
Scanlan also left written directions for notify- 
ing his mother and Russell Kelly sent the 
postal card given on page 99. 

The extreme northerly end of the French 
line of battle was then at Soiichez and that po- 
sition was held by one battalion of Zouaves, 
about one thousand men ; next to them was the 
Second regiment de Marche of the First For- 
eign Regiment, consisting of about four thou- 
sand men. In this last regiment was of course 
our five Americans, the sixth, Rockwell, being 
then in hospital. 

An Irish regiment was on the extreme 
southerly end of the English line, and thus 
joined with the French Zouaves. 

Pieces of white muslin were pinned to the 
backs of many of the Legionnaires (they ad- 
vanced without knapsacks) so they could be 
distinguished from the enemy. This precau- 
tion was taken for the reason that in the at- 
tack on May 9th, a serious delay occurred be- 
cause the observers attached to the French 75 



SUPPLEMENTARY 107 

guns were unable to distinguish the French 
from the Germans. A despatch bearer who 
had messages from the officers at the front 
stating that the Legion had made a great ad- 
vance, and directing that the range of the guns 
be changed so as to pass over the French 
troops, was killed and the messages undeliv- 
ered. When the soldiers of the Legion 
reached this line of range of their own guns, 
many ran into the fire, and the others were 
compelled to hold back until another messenger 
was despatched. 

After a terrific bombardment of the Ger- 
man trenches for several days, the French 
troops left their trenches at eight o'clock in the 
morning of June 16th, for the attack. 

Ladders were in the front line trenches to 
enable the soldiers to get out quickly ; a ladder 
being provided for every five men. 

It will be remembered that on May 9th 
Battalion C led the advance, followed by A, 
and then B, but on June 16th it was Battalion 
B, containing these five Americans, that was 



108 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

first to leave in its sector. It faced a very 
severe fire from machine guns, rifles and shrap- 
nel. The men ran forward in a line, at a dis- 
tance of about a yard apart, and many fell be- 
fore the first line of German trenches were 
reached. These had been destroyed by the 
French artillery and vacated by the enemy, and 
little of the barbed wide defences remained. 
However, the broken ground where those 
trenches had been afforded some slight shelter 
and advantage was taken of it to rest and re- 
arrange the line. 

They then rushed for the second line of 
trenches, which were strongly defended, hav- 
ing many machine guns in action; the French 
lost heavily before reaching these trenches, 
those who did safely reach them had a hand to 
hand fight with the Germans. It was here 
that Paul Pavelka received a bayonet wound 
in his leg and Lawrence Scanlan was severely 
wounded in his leg and foot by rifle fire, Rus- 
sell Kelly received what a companion described 
as "a clean wound in his left shoulder that did 



SUPPLEMENTARY 109 

not seem to be serious." All trace of John 
Smith and Kenneth Weeks was lost at this 
point. Weeks carried the supply of hand 
grenades for his section. 

But in spite of all resistance the French 
captured those trenches, and pushed on to the 
next, where they had another desperate hand 
to hand encounter but which they also captured. 

This division of the French army then drove 
its way through Cabaret Rouge, which has 
been frequently mentioned in the despatches. 
It is only a wine shop on the road to Arras and 
on the southern outskirts of Souchez. 

In spite of the German artillery and ma- 
chine gun fire they continued to advance, driv- 
ing the enemy before them, capturing many, 
and taking Hill No. 119 to the southeast of 
Souchez. Pavelka and Scanlan, who lay 
wounded at the second line of trenches, could 
plainly see their comrades, distinguished by the 
pieces of white muslin on their backs, fighting 
their way, step by step, up Hill 119. 

The division pushed on towards Givenchy, 



110 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

which is about a mile east of Souchez; but the 
Germans were able to attack them on their left 
flank, and the German artillery established a 
curtain of fire and thus cut off reenforcements. 
The rest of the line did not advance as fast nor 
as far as the portion that included this Battal- 
ion, so before the day was over the Germans 
had surrounded the men who were so advanced, 
and subjected them to a most severe artillery 
and machine gun fire. The men so surrounded 
numbered about five hundred and they held 
out until the afternoon of the next day, when, 
with every man remaining wounded and ex- 
hausted from thirst, they were all captured 
with the exception of some few who were able 
to conceal themselves within the German lines, 
it having been since reported that some of the 
men avoided capture in that way. 

Every officer in the regiment was killed. 

The battle that day resulted in a net gain to 
the Allies of about two miles in depth over a 
front of about two miles ; which gain was held 



SUPPLEMENTARY 111 

for about six months, when the Germans re- 
covered nearly one mile. 



OFFICIAL WAR (night) COM- 
MUNIQUE. 

FRENCH 

Paris, 
Thursday, June 17 , 10 p. m. 

Great activity along the entire front during 
the last two days is reported in to-day's des- 
patches. The fighting to the north of Arras 
has assumed an extremely violent character 
since yesterday. Infantry actions have been 
numerous and vigorous, while the artillery duel 
has been exceptionally violent and uninter- 
rupted. We have achieved important gains 
which were almost all maintained despite fu- 
rious counter attacks, which were repeated to- 
day with renewed vigor. 

Yesterday and to-day we advanced steadily 
toward Souchez from the northwest, the south- 



112 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

west and the west. Further to the south we 
have gained a footing in the park of the 
Carleul Chateau, where the enemy had been 
making use of the moat around the Chateau 
as a defensive base. We captured the Souchez 
cemetery and gained some ground on the 
slopes to the southeast of Souchez (Hill No. 
119) following several brilliant charges. The 
results achieved yesterday were extended to- 
day. 

After our infantry had delivered some ex- 
tremely vigorous attacks, which were most ef- 
ficaciously supported by the firing of almost 
three hundred thousand shells by our artillery, 
it was compelled to face, during the night of 
Wednesday, several violent counter attacks 
made by important hostile forces. These at- 
tacks were repulsed along the entire front, the 
only point evacuated by us being a small wood 
which we captured yesterday morning south 
of Hill No. 119 and which the enemy's artil- 
lery made it impossible for us to hold. 

In these engagements the Germans used 



SUPPLEMENTARY 113 

eleven divisions, which all suffered extremely 
heavy losses. On our side the losses were also 
serious. 

The morale of our troops continues to be 
perfect. The number of prisoners captured 
by us exceeds six hundred, including more 
than twenty officers, 

GERMAN 

Berlin, 
Thursday, June 17. 
The British and French continued yester- 
day their attempts to break through our lines. 
North of La Bassee Canal the British, over- 
powered by Westphalians and Saxons, after 
a hand-to-hand fight, were forced to beat a 
speedy retreat into their positions. South of 
Souchez the French succeeded in penetrating 
into our positions over a width of about 600 
metres, and obtained a foothold. Fighting 
still continues. At all other points they were 
repulsed with sanguinary losses. 



114 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

FRENCH 

Paris, 
Saturday, June 19, 10 p,m. 

In the sector to the north of Arras we have 
continued our action and on several points 
gathered the fruits of the favorable engage- 
ments of the last few days. . . . 

We hold the slopes of Hill 119 where our 
troops are maintaining themselves, clinging to 
the ground beyond the last German trenches, 
notwithstanding counter attacks by the enemy. 
To the south of these slopes our front has 
been carried forward to the northeast of the 
Labyrinth. 

GERMAN 

Berlin, 
Saturday, 3 p.m. 
Several French attacks on the Lorette Hills, 
on both sides of Neuville and northeast of Ar- 
ras broke down. We cleared a few trench 
sections which we had previously lost, of all 
enemies. 



SUPPLEMENTARY 115 

Account of battle from the New York 
American, August 7, 1915. 

THREE AMERICANS IN LEGION CAPTURED 



Orderly Describes Brilliant Charge Against 
Germans by Squad from U. S. in French 
Ranks 

By International News Service 

Paris, August 6, 

It now seems certain the three Americans of 
the famous First Regiment of the Foreign 
Legion who have been missing since the big 
fight north of Arras on June 16th are prison- 
ers in Germany. They are Kenneth Weeks, 
Russell Kelly, and John Smith. 

The news was brought to Paris by an or- 
derly of the regiment's colonel, who, while lying 
in the field of battle with a shattered leg, was 
picked up by the German Red Cross. His leg 
was amputated in a field hospital and he was 
recently repatriated. 

According to the orderly. Battalion B, of 



116 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

the Legion in which these Americans were 
fighting on June 16th, broke far through the 
German hnes left of Cabaret Rouge. The 
Germans reformed on both sides, attacking in 
force, and by the curtain of shells and machine- 
gun fire made reinforcements or retreat im- 
possible. 

The Legionnaires dug in and throughout the 
night of the 16th until the afternoon follow- 
ing resisted all attacks. Then, covered with 
wounds and parched with thirst, the survivors 
surrendered. 

The American squad when the first regi- 
ment moved north from the Champagne re- 
gion early in May included Kenneth Weeks, 
of New Bedford; Paul Rockwell, of Atlanta; 
Paul Pavelka, of Madison, Conn.; Russell 
Kelly, of New York; Frank Musgrave, of 
New Orleans ; Jack Janz, of Boston ; Lawrence 
Scanlan, of Cedarhurst, L. I., John 
Smith, of Los Angeles; Neamorin, of Cal- 
cutta, a graduate of Oxford and a frequent 
visitor to America, and Madji Zennis, of 



SUPPLEMENTARY 117 

Constantinople, formerly an interpreter for a 
New York importing house. 

The squad was led by Corporal Didier, a 
gigantic Moor. All were volunteers for the 
war except Janz. Janz was the only Amer- 
ican in the entire Legion that had seen African 
service, having been seven years in Morocco. 

He was shot through the forehead while 
looking out of a trench toward the German 
lines shortly after the arrival of the regiment 
in the north. 

During the fighting around La Targette and 
Neuville-St. Vaast on May 9th Janz was shot 
through the chest with a rifle ball. While he 
lay on the battlefield a shell exploded near him 
and badly lacerated his hips. Later he was 
carried off the field to a hospital. 

ONLY 700 OF 4,000 LEFT 

After the fighting on May 9th, 10th and 
nth the Legion was sent to the rear for re- 
Drganization. Only 700 of the 4,000 who had 
^one into action answered the roll call. 



118 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

In the attack of June 16th, which preceded 
by a terrific thirty-six-hour bombardment of 
the German lines, the legion occupied a posi- 
tion near Souchez and Cabaret Rouge. 

The first line of German trenches was liter- 
ally knocked to pieces by shell fire and easily 
taken. The advance on the second line was 
met by a stream of lead from rifles and ma- 
chme guns. Whole sections of the attacking 
party were mowed down. Corporal Didier fell, 
his left arm literally shot off. Zennis's lower 
jaw was torn away. Neamorin fell with a ball 
through his abdomen. 

Pavelka was the first of the American squad 
to reach the second line. He just got to the 
edge of a trench held by Bavarians when he 
was stabbed in the leg with a bayonet. 

GERMANS THROW DOWN ARMS 

By then the German trenches were filled 
with a yelling mass of Legionnaires zouaves 
and tirailleurs. Such of the Germans as could 
climbed out of the trenches and threw down 



SUPPLEMENTARY 119 

their arms. They ran for the rear, the French 
in hot pursuit. 

Pavelka took shelter in a German trench to 
bandage his wound. He was joined there by 
Kelly, who had been hit in the shoulder, and 
Smith with a ball through his leg. 

After a rest Pavelka suggested to his com- 
rades that they crawl to the rear. Kelly and 
Smith were too weak. Pavelka made his way 
alone to a first aid ambulance. 

The only American positively known to have 
been killed June 16th was Edwin Hall, of 
Chicago, who arrived at the front a few days 
before the battle and was placed in the machine 
gun section. It was his first time under fire 
and he exhibited great coolness and bravery. 
Hall's squad rushed up the machine guns to 
hold a captured position. The Germans 
counter attacked and killed the entire squad. 



IX 



EPILOGUE 



T T may interest the reader to know how the 
-^ six Americans in the 15th escouade or 
squad have since fared, so the following brief 
statement is given. 

Lawrence Scanlan, called Larney in the nar- 
rative, was severely wounded in his leg and 
foot June 16th. It was not until the follow- 
ing December that the last of the pieces of 
bullets were extracted from his leg. They 
were forwarded to his family near New York. 

The wounds were so deep that in November, 
1916, he was still an invalid, being in a hos- 
pital established by an American, Mrs. Fitz- 
gerald, at Passy-par-Veron, France. In the 
summer of 1916 he was awarded the Croix de 
Guerre or Military Cross, the citation stat- 

120 



EPILOGUE 121 

ing that it was awarded because he was a good 
and brave soldier and had been badly wounded. 
It was attached while he stood, aided by 
crutches. In writing of the ceremony he 
stated, "I could not help thinking as I stood 
there that Russell should be standing beside 
me, and that we should be receiving our decora- 
tions together." 

Paul Pavelka referred to in the letters as the 
"skipper," recovered from the bayonet wound 
he received June 16th, and returned to the 
front. He was in many severe engagements, 
and early in the year 1916 was transferred to 
the All- American aviation section. He ren- 
dered such brave service in this branch of the 
army around Verdun that he was made ser- 
geant in September, 1916, and the following 
month was awarded the Croicc de Guerre with 
its green and red ribbon. 

Kniffin Yates Rockwell, who was in a hos- 
pital June 16th, suffering from the wound re- 
ceived May 9th, recovered and rejoined the Le- 
gion at the front. He was transferred to the 



122 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

All-American aviation section, and was so 
daring and successful that he became known 
as the Ace. General JoiFre, in person, pinned 
upon him the Medaille Militaire with its 
yellow ribbon, for bringing down a Prussian 
two-seat aeroplane near Hartmannsweiller- 
kopf, in May, 1916. On September 9th, 
1916, he was officially credited with having 
brought down four Prussian aeroplanes. He 
was promoted to a lieutenancy. He was also 
awarded the CroiiT de Guerre, 

On September 24th, 1916, he was shot down 
while defending a flotilla of bomb-dropping 
aeroplanes returning to the Verdun lines from 
an expedition into territories held by the Prus- 
sians. He suffered his fatal wound while 
above the town of Thann, and dropped into 
Alsatian territory, retaken from the Prussians. 
This was near the spot where he shot down his 
first adversary about April, 1916. He was on 
his way back to the air squadron's base where 
he would have been informed that he had been 



EPILOGUE 123 

promoted from first sergeant to lieutenant. 
He was buried with full military honors, a 
regiment of French territorials and a battalion 
of Alpine chasseurs were the guard of honor. 

Lieutenant Rockwell was from Atlanta, 
Georgia. He had been a cadet at the Virginia 
Military Institute, two classes ahead of Rus- 
sell Kelly. Both were members of the Kappa 
Alpha fraternity. 

Kenneth Weeks was reported as missing un- 
til November 25th, 1915, when his body was 
found between the lines of battle. It was 
learned that he had been killed June 16th, or 
17th, and that his body had lain there for five 
months. He was buried in the military ceme- 
tery at Pylones near Mont St. Eloi. 

He was from Boston, and had attended Har- 
vard. He was an author of several books and 
possessed unusual hterary ability. 

The first reference to him in the above let- 
ters is in one from Verzenay in March, 1915, 
it states: 



124 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

"Another American was put in our squad; 
he is from Boston, has been in France five 
years, in the Legion five months and in the 
trenches three months. He is a fine fel- 
low." 

John Earl Fike of Wooster, Ohio, enlisted 
under the name of his grandfather. Captain 
John Smith, who had rendered distinguished 
services in our civil war. He and Russell 
Kelly disappeared during the battle, and have 
not been since heard from. 

Many notices have been in the newspapers, 
tending to explain their absence, all of which 
on investigation proved incorrect. 

The only authoritative information regard- 
ing either of them was that "Russell Kelly was 
seen in the second line of German trenches 
with a clean wound in his left shoulder that did 
not seem serious." 

After sometime the names of these two were 
placed on the official list of "missing" and the 
French Minister of War notified their families 
that their names would be carried on that list 




JOHN EARL FIKE 



EPILOGUE 125 

until a search could be made in the internment 
camps of Germany. 

The State Department at Washington had 
special inquiries made by the American am- 
bassador at Berlin, and on January 3d, 1916, 
Ambassador Gerard sent word from Berlin 
that their names were not reported among the 
prisoners of war in Germany. 

The German War Office, the Imperial For- 
eign Office, the German Red Cross, as well as 
the International Red Cross at Geneva, 
Switzerland, reported that their names were 
not registered on any list in their possession. 

On January 16th the New York Sun con- 
tained the following cable: 

"Paris, January 15th. Official news 
reached the Lyon depot to-day that Ken- 
neth Weeks of Boston was killed on June 
17th last year near Givenchy. 

"Official announcement also is made that 
John Earl Fike of Wooster, Ohio, was killed 
the same day. The death of Henry Farns- 
worth, another American in the Foreign 



126 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

Legion, reported on October 16th last, is 
officially confirmed." 

On January 17th all the New York dailies 
contained the following cable: 

"Paris, January 16th. Five Americans 
attached to the Foreign Legion, whose 
names were included in the list of casualties 
at Givenchy on June 17th, are now officially 
reported as having been killed in action. 
They were Russell Kelly of New York, 
Harman Edwin Hall of Chicago, John Earl 
Fike of Wooster, Ohio, and Kenneth Weeks 
and Henry Farnsworth both of Boston." 

In view of the discrepancy between these 
despatches, as well as the fact that seven 
months elapsed between the disappearance of 
Kelly and Fike and the publication of these 
so-called official notices, doubt was raised as to 
their authenticity, and the death of these two 
will not be conceded until the facts are dis- 
closed upon which the conclusion of death is 
based. Besides, it is now known that the 



EPILOGUE 127 

French War Office has not transferred the two 
names to the official list of dead. 

The uncertainty of his death has been in- 
creased in the case of Russell Kelly, by in- 
formation given by an English lady. She 
communicated with his family, and stated that 
in September of 1915 she received a letter from 
a relative in which he said he and two other 
English soldiers together with a French sol- 
dier, had been in hiding since the middle of the 
previous June, within the German lines, east 
of Souchez ; and that French peasants had sup- 
plied them with clothing and food. It stated 
that the French soldier was an American 
named Kelly, and that he was badly wounded 
in the head. The letter had been surrepti- 
tiously passed through the lines. 

The high character of the English lady, as 
well as many corroborating circumstances, have 
convinced the family of Russell Kelly of the 
truth of the statements; and there being no 
other American in the Foreign Legion named 



128 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

Kelly, thej^ believe it refers to him, and that he 
is still alive. 

An adjutant of the regiment sent word, in 
January, 1916, to Lyon, that he had seen Rus- 
sell Kelly and two other prisoners in Belgium. 
He reported that Kelly had lost one of his legs 
and that he was careful not to disclose his 
American citizenship. The circumstances con- 
nected with this information show it to be con- 
sistent with the story of his being in hiding the 
previous September. 

These rumors appear to be true but they 
cannot be satisfactorily verified. 

It is known that the French prisoners in 
Belgium and northern France are not allowed 
to communicate in any way with the outside 
world, although prisoners in Germany are al- 
lowed to send and receive communications 
from relatives and friends. 

It has been learned that these six Americans 
after receiving the warning of the opposition 
of Germany to Foreign Legionnaires who 
were not citizens of a country at war with Ger- 



EPILOGUE 



129 



many, discussed plans to be followed in the 
event of being taken prisoners. 

They determined, if captured, to destroy all 
regimental marks on their uniforms, to throw 
away their army-books, and to assume fic- 
titious names. 

CHRONOLOGICAL MILITARY REC- 
ORD OF RUSSELL A. KELLY 

1914 

November 3, left New York on steamship 

Orcadian. 

" 19, reached Pauillac, France. 

" 21, Saturday, docked at Bor- 

deaux. 

" 23, applied at recruiting station. 

" 24, enlisted in the Foreign Legion. 

" 26, began military training at De- 

pot de Lyon. 



1915 

February 



March 



6, left barracks for the front. 

8, arrived at Bouzy, near the 
front. 

8, left Bouzy and same day ar- 
rived at Verzenay and en- 
tered first line trenches. 



5? 



130 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 
1915 

April 24, left Verzenay for region north 
of Arras. 
" 28, reached Aubigny; again en- 

tered first line trenches. 

May 9, Sunday, in the attack on La 

Targette and Neuville St. 
Vaast. 

10, battle continued. 

11, relieved from the captured po- 

sition and returned with regi- 
ment to rear for reorganiza- 
tion. 
" 29, reentered first line trenches. 

June 16, in the attack on Cabaret 
Rouge near Souchez and at 
the taking of Hill No. 119. 
" 18, reported as missing. 

1917 
May Still missing. 

Is this military record, like the record of 
many another Legionary, forever closed; and 
does that youthful 

"Heart that once beat high for praise 
Now feel that pulse no more?" 



X 

LA LEGION ETRANGERE 

ALL the countries of the old world have 
"crack" military organizations famous 
for deeds of valor, many of which came into 
existence long before the time of our revolu- 
tionary war. In the United States, most large 
cities have at least one regiment with a record 
of which the civilians as well as the soldiers 
are justly proud. But all their histories and 
achievements pale before the extraordinary 
record, ancient formation and remarkable 
membership of France's famous corps, la 
Legion etrangere. That body is easily the 
most ancient, unique and widest known mili- 
tary organization in the world. 

Here is a Legion numbering, before this 
war, eight thousand men, all of whom, except 

131 



132 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

the officers, being aliens of the country for 
which they give up their lives. Very few of 
them are able to understand the language of 
the country, and very few become citizens of 
the country even after enlistment in its army. 

They are not requested to enlist and when 
they do apply for admission they are told of 
the hardships to be encountered. If the ap- 
plicant still insists he must wait until the fol- 
lowing day before his application is considered. 

Since the beginning of the present war many 
enlisted, no doubt, from love of France ; but it 
is difficult to understand how this large mem- 
bership was maintained prior to the war. 

None enlisted for protection of their homes 
or families. Nor for glory as scarcely any 
Legionary has even become a general. Not 
for money; the pay is one cent a day, a wage 
the meanest outcast in the street would spurn 
with scorn. Not for comradeship; the ranks 
being recruited from the whole world are too 
cosmopolitan for lasting friendships. | 

Not for an easy life ; for they were assigned. 



LA LEGION ETRANGERE 133 

before this war, to duty in the unhealthy waste 
places of Africa and Asia. 

Answers to this riddle would be almost as 
diversified as the volunteers are numerous. 

No weakling can be accepted, for it takes a 
good physique to stand the training necessary 
to develop a man to fight for his life and the 
country. For example it is part of the rou- 
tine of the Legion for each company to march 
once a week, in full marching equipment, 
twenty-eight miles within ten hours. 

Historians cannot agree as to when this 
Legion was first organized, but it is conceded 
that it was in existence in the time of Clovis 
who stands out in history as the founder of a 
new France, and with whose rule French his- 
tory begins. He employed this very organiza- 
tion in the year 486 when he defeated the last 
of the Roman power in northern Gaul, at Sois- 
sons, which city is still in existence and stands 
less than ten miles from the place where their 
equally courageous successors gave up their 
lives for that same France, but now a glorious 



134 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

republic, fourteen hundred and twenty-nine 
years later. 

In our country we consider an institution 
that is one hundred years old as ancient, our 
government itself being in existence less than 
a century and a half, yet here is an organiza- 
tion that when Columbus discovered America, 
was a thousand years old. 

Mercenaries, or troops who serve alien coun- 
tries for pay, were used from the very earliest 
times. Thirteen thousand Greeks fought in 
the year 401 B. C. under Cyrus, the Persian, 
against his brother Artaxerxes; and even the* 
all powerful Romans often availed themselves 
of the services of foreign soldiers. 

The French always employed large num- 
bers of mercenaries, and in the year 886 their 
King, Charles le Gros had a bodyguard of for- 
eigners: an example followed by St. Louis in 
the year 1226. In the protracted wars be- 
tween France and England in the thirteenth 
and fourteenth centuries these mercenaries 
formed the major part of both armies. 



LA LEGION ETRANGERE 135 

The last mercenaries used by England were 
twenty-two thousand Hessians hired from the 
landgrave Frederick II of Hesse-Casse, Prus- 
sia, and for whom they paid about £3,191,000, 
or $16,000,000, to assist in the war against the 
American colonies. These were the troops 
that Washington so decisively defeated at 
Trenton on Christmas night, 1776. 

The Foreign Legion continued under all the 
French rulers, and Napoleon frequently ac- 
knowledged their great worth to him. 

After the Napoleonic w^ars the Legion was 
known as The Royal Foreign Legion. In 
1831 a new law was enacted reorganizing the 
Legion and establishing its headquarters in 
Algeria. In 1835 the Legion was the subject 
of one of the most remarkable transactions in 
history ; it was sold by King Louis Philippe to 
Queen Maria Christina of Spain for a sum 
equal to about one hundred and seventeen 
thousand dollars, being the estimated value of 
its arms, uniforms and equipment. 

The Legion proceeded to Spain landing at 



136 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

Tarragona, four thousand strong; it fought 
valiantly for four years in the first Carlist war, 
and when that war ended in the early part of 
1839 only five hundred Legionnaires survived. 

Within a few weeks after the old Legion 
landed in Spain, a new Legion was organized 
by France and sent to Algeria, where it did 
most effective work. 

In the Crimea war the Legion was part of 
Canrobert's division at the battle of the Alma ; 
and during the siege of Sevastopol it was re- 
peatedly mentioned in reports for its brave and 
successful efforts. In this campaign the 
Legion lost eighteen hundred officers and men, 
and as a reward for their gallantry the Em- 
peror gave the Legionnaires the right to be- 
come French citizens should they desire to. 

The Legion was part of Maximilian's forces 
in Mexico and on April 30th, 1863, near the 
village of Camaron, a detachment of three of- 
ficers and sixty-five Legionnaires held at bay 
two thousand Mexican cavalry for ten hours, 
when the survivors numbering only twenty 



LA LEGION ETRANGERE 137 

were captured. As a reward the word "Cam- 
aron" is inscribed on the colors of the First 
Regiment. 

Four thousand two hundred and thirty-seven 
officers and men of the Legion died in Mexico. 

In the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 the 
Legion performed remarkable services as a 
rear guard, to cover the retreat of tbie French 
army. 

The Legion in time of peace consists of two 
regiments, the Premier or First, and Deuocieme 
or Second, they being kept separate and dis- 
tinct. The headquarters of the First Regi- 
ment is at Sidi-Bel- Abbes which is in the north- 
western part of Algeria, forty-eight miles m- 
land by rail from Oran, a port on the Mediter- 
ranean. The headquarters of the Second Regi- 
ment is at Saida, also in Algeria. 

The First Regiment has the great distinction 
of having had its flag decorated with the Cross 
of the Legion of Honor, only ten regiments of 
the three hundred and odd composing all 
branches of the French army having this great 



138 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

honor. It is the boast of its soldiers that "the 
Legion of Honor dwells with us." 

This regiment's flag carries the motto 

"Honneur et Discipline"; 

the flags in the other regiments of the French 
army bear the motto 

"Honneur et Patrie." 

So these wanderers from all countries, after 
enlistment are without a country. 

At the beginning of the present war these 
two regiments were mobilized, and there be- 
ing a large number of volunteers, each regi- 
ment was divided into four regiments and 
designated as regiments de Marclie, or march- 
ing regiments. Each regiment de Marche 
was divided into four battalions, being known 
as A, B, C and D; a battalion consisted of 
four companies; each company of four sec- 
tions; each section of four squads, and there 
were sixteen men to a squad. This arrange- 
ment accounts for four thousand and ninety- 



LA LEGION ETRANGERE 139 

six men, and as there were additional officers 
and attaches, a full Regiment de Marche was 
frequently composed of as many as four thou- 
sand four hundred men. 

The four regiments de Marche of the First 
Regiment etrangere were, therefore, about 
seventeen thousand strong. 

The Second Regiment etrangere was, in the 
same way, divided into four regiments de 
MarcJie, and was of the same numerical 
strength as the First Regiment etrangere. 
Hence, the Foreign Legion in April and May, 
1915, when its ranks were full, consisted of 
about thirty-four thousand troops. 

The First Regiinent de Marche of the First 
Regiment etrangere was composed mostly of 
Garibaldians, the second of Swedes, Spaniards, 
Russians, Canadians, English, Americans, and 
others, while the third and fourth were mostly 
Greeks. 

The designation of Russell A. Kelly was as 
follows : 



140 KELI.Y OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

Soldat KELLY, Russell. No. 24641 

1 Regiment etrangere 

2 Regiment de Marche 
Battalion B 

2 Compagnie 
4 Section 
15 Escouade 

The Legionnaires who survived the battle of 
June 16th, 1915, being very few in number, 
were assigned some weeks later to the Second 
foreign regiment, then located in the Cham- 
pagne district, to the east of Rheims. 

On September 25th, that regiment took 
part in a very severe attack on the German 
lines between Souain and Perthes-le-Hurlus, 
about twenty-seven miles from Rheims. This 
attack continued on the 26th, 27th and 28th 
and was entirely successful, for they finally 
captured the redoubt of Bois Sabot, but at the 
cost of more than half of the regiment. This 
engagement is now designated as the battle of 
Champagne, and is considered one of the most 
important battles of the war. 



LA LEGION ETRANGERE 141 

The Legion, after being recruited and gen- 
erally strengthened, next took part in the very 
severe fighting in December at Hartmanns- 
weilerkopf in the Vosges. 

It did exceptional work in the severe battles 
around Verdun in February and March. The 
following despatch was sent from Paris March 
7th, 1916: 

"The unanimous French military opinion 
is that the recapture of Douaumont by the 
French infantry line, the Foreign Legion 
and chasseurs, on Feb. 26th, was one of the 
finest feats in military annals and equal to 
Gen. Gallieni's famous charge at Sedan in 
1870." 

In the summer of 1916 the French govern- 
ment revived the ancient Fourragere decora- 
tion; this consists of a braided cord about 34 
inches long, terminating in an aiguillette; one 
end is fastened on the soldier's left shoulder, 
and then extended under his left arm and fas- 
tened on his left breast so that the aiguillette 
hangs below this second fastening. 



142 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

It is not awarded for individual merit, but 
is conferred on a military unit, as a section, 
company, battalion, or sometimes an entire 
regiment; it is a reward for two distinct cita- 
tions for unusual bravery or heroism. 

Almost the first award made was to the en- 
tire Second Regiment de Marche of the First 
Foreign Regiment. The two citations en- 
titling the regiment to this revived decoration 
were, first, for its extraordinary work during 
the battle of Artois, which began May 9th and 
ended June 19th, 1915; and second, for equally 
meritorious and successful action during the 
battle of Champagne, which took place from 
September 20th to October 17th, 1915. 

For several years prior to the present war, 
the Germans very bitterly attacked the French 
Foreign Legion by articles in their newspapers 
and magazines, as well as pictures in their mov- 
ing picture shows and songs in their cafe con- 
certs. One very violent attack was a play 
entitled, "The Hypocrite," which was first 



LA LEGION ETRANGERE 143 

produced February 24th, 1914, at the Kiinstler 
Theatre, Berlin. 

In a ray of green light a legionary advanced 
toward the front of the stage with a sign in- 
scribed "We are the legionnaires of Africa" 
written in French; it continued in German, 
"All that you behold here is strictly true; we 
show you what we suffer and how we die." 

The play was received with great applause, 
although the critic of the Berliner Tagehlatt 
had the fairness to write, "This drama of the 
Legion is a sluggish and untimely melody of 
the boulevard." 

Germany's arguments against the Legion 
were summarized in the Spring of 1914 as 
follows, viz.: 

First. They deny the right of a modern 
state to have recourse for its defence to the 
services of foreign subjects and they say they 
have been confirmed in this by the fact that all 
states, except France, have successively re- 
nounced the employment of foreign soldiers. 

Second. That the contract on enlistment 



144 KELLY OF THE FOREIGN LEGION 

is harsh as the duration of the services is too 
long, the pay is insufficient and the service 
imposed is excessive. 

Third. That France takes advantage of 
the wretchedness of the applicants and secures 
their enlistment while they are in ignorance of 
the severity of the service. 

Fourth. That recruiting is carried on by 
crimps who abuse their victims by getting 
them di'unk and by false promises, and it re- 
sults in forming a scandalous mixture of starv- 
ing men, adventurers and bandits, devoted to 
drunkenness and the most infamous morals. 

Fifth. That it is applicable to minors, re- 
cruits being taken at the age of eighteen years. 

Sixth. That Germany has, more than any 
other country, the right to occupy itself with 
that which is going on in the Legion, by reason 
of the great number of its subjects who serve 
there. 

Mr. Gaston Moch issued a book in Paris in 
1914, before the war, entitled "The Question 
of the Foreign Legion," in which he fully dis- 



LA LEGION ETRANGERE 145 

cusses these arguments from the French side. 
The Foreign Legion is, therefore, acknowl- 
edged to be the last of the mercenaries, a con- 
necting link between the present day and the 
days before the beginning of the Christian era. 



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